Taiwan takes delivery of first batch of monkeypox oral drugs

2022-07-28

Taiwan received its first batch of monkeypox oral drugs on Wednesday evening. The pills will be reserved for patients with severe symptoms and immunocompromised individuals. The CDC says it will purchase more drugs if there is a need for them in the future. Let’s hear from the CDC.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
CDC deputy head
The oral drugs for monkeypox will only be used on patients with the disease who experience severe symptoms or who are immunocompromised. So we haven’t purchased too many, just enough for 504 people. But if there is a need for more in the future, of course we will purchase more. Currently the contract for monkeypox vaccines is being reviewed by the supplier. So the order should be finalized soon. The contract is in the final stage, we’ll make an announcement once it’s finished.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported around the world, most of them in Europe. So far, Taiwan has reported just two imported cases, one of whom is still under treatment in hospital. The CDC says most monkeypox patients do not require specialized treatment such as the oral drugs. Most patients can simply recover with supportive therapy to alleviate symptoms.

猴痘抗病毒藥物來了! 504份週三晚間已運抵台

2022-07-28

首批台灣採購的猴痘口服抗病毒藥物已到貨，疾管署證實，昨晚已經運抵台灣，經過審核將提供「重症」以及「免疫低下確診個案」使用，未來如果有需要，將持續的採購。

[[疾管署副署長莊人祥]]
“有關猴痘的口服抗病毒藥物，因為這個藥物它只能用在猴痘的確診病患，而且是屬於病患病情嚴重，跟免疫低下，所以我們一開始買的不是太多，504人份，但是如果未來有需要，當然還會再持續的採購。疫苗的部分，目前合約的部分還在跟對方在做簽核的動作，所以目前應該是說快接近了，但是簽約的事項目前還在做最後的階段，如果有完成會再跟各位說明。”

根據世衛統計，全球猴痘病例已經超過18000例，其中多在歐洲，台灣目前累計兩例境外移入案，仍有一例住院中。疾管署說明，大多數的猴痘患者其實都不需要特殊治療，主要是以支持性療法為主，來減輕症狀或是併發症。

Colorful foods can increase appetite during hot summer months: nutritionist

2022-07-28

Enjoy Chinese Valentine’s Day in Taipei’s historic Dadaocheng on July 30

2022-07-28

NSYSU develops first made-in-Taiwan mini submarine

2022-07-28

Comic, manga and anime fans flock to 2022 Comic Exhibition

2022-07-28

Transport ministry considers opening up improved Suhua Highway to white-plated motorcycles

The Directorate General of Highways is considering allowing more types of motorcycles on the improved Suhua Highway, after a successful trial for heavy motorbikes. The agency is considering opening up the road to motorbikes with white number plates, that is bikes of between 50 and 250 cubic centimeters. Four proposals to make that happen are on the table, including two that would remove the hard shoulder on the road and replace it with an additional traffic lane.

Since last September, large motorcycles like these have been allowed to circulate on the improved Suhua Highway. The six-month trial ended recently and heavy motorbikes could soon be allowed on the road on a permanent basis. Now, the Directorate General of Highways says the next step is to open up the highway to motorcycles with white number plates, between 50 and 250 cubic centimeters. Already, four proposals are on the table for approval from the transport ministry.

Chiang Yu-fong
Directorate General of Highways
There may be another meeting, or perhaps one of the proposals will be implemented. All of the proposals have safety as their top priority.

There are four proposals. The first of them would allow white plate motorcycles to circulate alongside sedan cars on the fast lane, leaving the road shoulder for emergency vehicles. The second would get motorcycles driving on the shoulder only, with some provisions to allow emergency vehicles to circulate as well. The third and fourth proposals would do away with the hard shoulder and replace it with a slow-vehicle lane or a regular lane. Since these two proposals would necessitate adjustments to the current layout, they are less feasible than the others.

Chiang Yu-fong
Directorate General of Highways
The last two proposals would require changing the current lane distribution, and would therefore have a bigger impact on the road. They could even require an environmental assessment and would even affect the emergency evacuation plans for the improved Suhua Highway.

Voice of Lee Ko-tsung
Consumers’ Foundation
The number of lanes on the improved Suhua Highway is very limited. If they end up letting motorcycles use the hard shoulder on weekdays and tour buses use it on weekends, they will have to figure out a way to let emergency vehicles circulate in case an accident happens. They need to consider this.

The proposals all have different safety and traffic volume considerations. Some experts suggest that different kinds of vehicles could be allowed to circulate on the shoulder during the week and during weekends. The Directorate General of Highways says that, if everything goes smoothly, about 200 white number plate bikes could use the highway every day.

2022-07-28

Taiwan central bank says it won’t necessarily follow Fed in raising interest rates

2022-07-28

Taipei Performing Arts Center to open Aug. 5 with ballroom performances

2022-07-28

Chen Shih-chung spills the beans on fellow Taipei mayoral candidates

As the Taipei mayoral election approaches, DPP candidate Chen Shih-chung is considered the party’s best bet in 24 years. But is the former health minister ready to take on Taiwan’s capital? He sat down with FTV Vice President Hu Wan-ling胡婉玲for an exclusive interview. She grilled him on his thoughts on fellow candidates, as well as his response to criticism from current Taipei mayor, Ko Wen-je.

Sitting down with FTV Vice President Hu Wan-ling, Chen Shih-chung expressed his determination to win the Taipei mayoral race.

Chen Shih-chung
Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
Firstly, the DPP hasn’t been in power in Taipei for more than 20 years. Secondly, with the DPP in power, the central and local government can cooperate. If you give the DPP, or give me, this opportunity, to get the central and local government to work together, we will make a different Taipei, for sure. People will feel the progress of Taipei. We can promote Taipei’s mountains and rivers to the whole world.

But that dream will require Chen to win the votes. He says his life experience is more than sufficient, and he’s confident about his leadership and organizational abilities.

Chen Shih-chung
Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
I think Chiang Wan-an is quite an impressive figure in the KMT. I think he’s a young man with a lot of potential. I think the KMT has not trained him enough. He should get more of a grounding in the Legislative Yuan. Huang Shan-shan has been in municipal governance a long time, of course. Neihu and Nangang are her constituency. But if she has been a city councilor there for so long, why does she still not have a real proposal to solve the transport problem for Neihu, or a well-developed plan?

In his mild way, Chen implied that Chiang is lacking experience and Huang can’t get problems solved. He even took aim at present mayor Ko Wen-je, who has often offered Chen advice.

Hu Wan-ling
FTV vice president
Mayor Ko said your odds are good as you’re a good actor and you’re good at spouting rubbish. You’ve probably heard that comment of his. What do you make of that? Do you accept his criticism?

Chen Shih-chung
Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
I think that what he said about me is also true of him. He’s rather good at talking nonsense.

Hu Wan-ling
FTV vice president
Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je said in the past that he did things chaotically in his first two years in office.

Chen Shih-chung
Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
If you take him as a mayor, it’s like he is reigning supreme, alone. Of course you can’t win your team’s heart like that. You can’t make use of their experience, and then the city government will go through a chaotic period. I wouldn’t make that mistake.

Chen is known for his tactful demeanor while making pointed remarks. His chat with FTV was no exception.

2022-07-28

President Tsai speaks with a delegation from Japan on security cooperation

A cross-party delegation from Japan is in Taiwan talking defense and security. The delegation of four includes three former defense officials. A recent Japanese defense white paper spoke of the importance of Taiwan’s defense, and this is something former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo also emphasized. Now with a Japanese delegation in Taiwan discussing specifics, it appears Abe’s plans for Taiwan-Japan cooperation on defense may be starting to take shape.

Meeting with a Japanese delegation to discuss security issues, President Tsai Ing-wen again brought up former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
In regard to the deep friendship that Taiwan and Japan have been able to build, former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo played a key role in that. Abe unfortunately left us at the start of this month, and that’s been hard for everyone. Many Taiwanese have expressed grief over his loss, and feel deeply that he will forever be a friend of Taiwan.

Ishiba Shigeru
Former Japanese defense minister
That unfortunate event will not shake Japan’s democracy and democratic system, and our discourse will not succumb to violence. That will absolutely not happen in Japan.

Those comments were made by member of the Japanese House of Representatives Ishiba Shigeru. In the four-member Japanese delegation, two members are former defense ministers, and one once served as deputy defense minister. Their visit to Taiwan is aimed at discussing regional security. Ishiba expressed regret that defense-minded Abe was unable to see his objectives through before his untimely death. He expressed a resolve to continue Abe’s mission. He said he hoped to sign a bilateral agreement on cooperation with Taiwan during his trip.

Ishiba Shigeru
Former Japanese defense minister
What we are talking about is, what kinds of regional situations might develop, and then after those developments, what kinds of treaties or laws will be invoked. Or, what kinds of weapons systems or forces do we need to put in place to put up a resistance. These are all things that need to be discussed in advance, and we need to reach a consensus.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
Taiwan is an important member of international society. We know that safeguarding Taiwan is not just about safeguarding sovereignty, more importantly it’s about regional strategic security. Taiwan is very important to the defense of the first island chain. We will continue to deepen cooperation with Japan and other democratic partners, working together to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The security of Taiwan is inextricably intertwined with that of Japan. Abe once said that a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency in Japan. His successors are applying that mindset to their own policies, bringing Taiwan and Japan closer together.

2022-07-28

CECC says BA.5 COVID subvariant may already be spreading in the community

The CECC on Thursday announced 23,822 local COVID infections and 62 COVID-related deaths. It also reported that a suspected cluster infection at a shipyard in Southern Taiwan was in fact two separate clusters.One was caused by the BA.2 strain, which is dominant in Taiwan. The other, involving a shipyard employee and his two children, was caused by the BA.5, signaling that the subvariant could already be spreading in the community. The CECC says it is not considering tightening COVID measures.

Concerns that a cluster infection at a shipbuilding factory in Kaohsiung was caused by the BA.5 subvariant have been dispelled, after genetic sequencing showed that four of the workers were infected with the BA.2 subvariant.

Phillip Lo
CECC
The factory cluster infection and the family cluster involving BA.5, in fact, are two separate events.

In a cluster infection at a shipbuilding factory, 10 contacts tested positive in a first round of testing. Samples from seven of those 10 were sent for genetic sequencing, and four came back as BA.2 – the most common subvariant in Taiwan. The CT values of the other three were too low for testing. Only the initial case from the factory, and his two children, were found to be infected with BA.5.

With the source of the initial case’s infection unknown, the CECC said there is likely already community transmission of BA.5. It advised the public to exercise caution, but said there are currently no plans to implement stricter public health measures.

Phillip Lo
CECC
What we are concerned about now is the possibility that BA.5 has already spread in the community. This newest subvariant will likely continue to spread throughout the community in some way, and eventually replace BA.2 as the dominant strain.

The CECC says that mid-August will probably see another wave of infections, as BA.5 becomes the dominant strain in Taiwan. Next-generation boosters targeting new variants will only become available in the fall, months after the BA.5 wave. The CECC says that despite that, there are no plans to open up eligibility for fourth shots to the general population.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
CECC
Comparatively speaking, if we give fourth shots to young people, it will increase antibodies to levels just slightly higher than those following the third shots. However, in terms of slowing infection, or preventing severe symptoms, there’s no real noticeable effect. So we don’t have any plans for widespread vaccination with fourth shots.

Around the world Israel, France, the U.S., Thailand, Japan and South Korea have rolled out fourth shots, but in all cases, availability has been restricted to certain demographics.

The CECC says that for now it will continue to focus on high-risk groups for additional booster shots, saying the benefit of more boosters for youth is negligible.

2022-07-28