New flu epidemic period may begin this week: CDCBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterTaiwan could enter another influenza epidemic period as soon as this week, and cases might continue to increase to about 130,000 per week at the Lunar New Year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Tainan Municipal HospitalSeventeen severe flu cases and two flu-related deaths were also reported between Tuesday last week and Monday, Lee said, adding that among the accumulated 458 severe cases this flu season, 83 percent have chronic illnesses and 87 percent were unvaccinated. CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠) said that as the percentage of emergency room visits for flu-like illness increased to 10.3 percent, nearly approaching the epidemic threshold of 11 percent, Taiwan could enter a flu epidemic period this week. “After entering an epidemic period, we predict the peak would be at the Lunar New Year holiday, with maybe about 130,000 to 140,000 hospital visits per week,” he said. CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said she had been reported as a severe flu complication case, but the CDC’s laboratory test for flu came back negative.

Source: Taipei Times January 20, 2026 17:13 UTC