Page 90 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

Epidemic Command Center was in operation, Chapter 3 Communicable Disease
the cumulative number of COVID-19-related Preparedness and
incoming calls exceeded 12.842 million.
Response, and Infection
(3) The MOHW has actively taken action against Control
disinformation and immediately investigated
and prosecuted cases according to applicable Section 1 Preparedness and Response
laws and regulations. Immediate action was to Emerging and Reemerging
also taken to investigate violations of epidemic
prevention and related measures. Infectious Diseases
6. Smart Pandemic Prevention 1. International Port Quarantine: Through active
(1) Optimized smart technology to develop smart reporting and screening mechanisms for travelers
with suspected infectious disease symptoms upon
epidemic prevention systems. As Taiwan entered entry, 109 imported dengue fever cases and 5
the community transmission stage, the "Contact imported chikungunya cases were intercepted
Tracing Self-reporting System for Confirmed in 2023, preventing community introduction and
Cases" was launched on May 1, 2022. This reducing disease burden and transmission risk.
system streamlined the local government's
epidemiological investigations and reduced 2. To safeguard the health of Taiwanese people
paper notifications, reducing the workload on traveling abroad, 32 contracted hospitals were
health units. Until the self-reporting system's commissioned to provide integrated international
termination on March 27, 2023, approximately travel medicine services. In addition, a Travel
10 million SMS messages were sent to Medicine Education and Training Center was
confirmed cases, with about 8.224 million self- established. In 2023, a total of 20 training courses
reports returned. were conducted for medical personnel and travel
service providers to deepen the awareness of
(2) The "Taiwan Digital COVID-19 Certificate" system epidemic prevention during travel for the Taiwanese
was in operation from December 28, 2021, to population.
May 31, 2023. A cumulative total of 23,754,972,
successful applications for digital vaccine 3. In response to monkeypox, which has been officially
certificates were processed. classified as a Category II Communicable Disease,
(3) The "Taiwan Social Distancing App" allowed the measures were actively implemented in 2023.
These included closely monitoring domestic and
public to estimate social interactions using their international outbreaks, enhancing international port
smartphone's Bluetooth function, understanding quarantine measures, healthcare facility reporting,
potential contact risks with confirmed cases. case management, public risk communication and
During the widespread Omicron variant outbreak health education promotion, vaccination campaigns,
in April 2022, the app replaced SMS and paper- and procurement and distribution of antiviral drugs
based contact tracing to facilitate the public's and monkeypox vaccines. Vaccination for high-risk
compliance with self-prevention measures. groups began on March 22, 2023, with 117,566
From March 27, 2023, in line with the policy doses administered by December 31, 2023, to
that no reporting or isolation was required for increase vaccine coverage and protection among
asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases with risk groups. To address the epidemic and prevention
positive rapid tests, the app's original function objectives, liaison meetings were held with relevant
was discontinued and repurposed for notifying experts, NGOs, cooperating medical institutions,
epidemic prevention information and clarifying and county/city health bureaus. To strengthen the
misinformation. The service was terminated on dissemination of prevention messages through
December 31.
community networks, collaboration with NGOs and
communities was enhanced, utilizing peer influence

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