Taiwan sees 932 severe COVID cases, 64 weekly COVID deaths reported

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

Jul. 3, 2024

 

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tuesday (July 2) reported 932 new severe COVID cases from June 25 - July 1, a 14% increase from the previous week. There were also 64 deaths from COVID. Individuals aged 65 and above account for 79% of the severe cases and 90% of the deaths. 

 

The CDC said the current prevalent variants, JN.1, KP.2, KP.3, and LB.1, possess immune evasion characteristics and higher transmissibility. However, current research shows they have not increased disease severity. 

...

The CDC said the domestic COVID outbreak is worsening and is in the epidemic phase and could plateau in mid-July. The JN. 1 variant is the most prevalent, both domestically and from overseas, accounting for 47% and 38%, respectively. 

 

(more)

 

Taiwan News

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5898112

 

 

And one week prior from the same news outlet:

COVID hospitalizations in Taiwan increase 31%

Over 800 hospitalizations for COVID reported last week

 

Jun. 27, 2024

 

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Severe COVID cases that required hospitalization increased by 30.9% last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Tuesday (June 25).

 

The CDC said 817 COVID cases required hospitalization from June 18-24, a 30.9% increase from 624 cases between June 11-17. Among last week's cases, 79% were individuals aged 65 and above. 

 

There were 40 COVID-related deaths last week, of these, 90% were aged 65 and above.

 

(more)

 

Taiwan News

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5896139

 

 

Edited July 3 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Worth noting: the above news report also cites that Taiwan has a very low uptake of the latest XBB variant COVID vaccines, even lower than in the U.S., including for its senior citizens.

 

Specifically:

 

"The [Taiwan] CDC said 2.805 million doses of the XBB vaccine have been administered, with 21,000 doses administered from June 17-23. The XBB vaccination rate is 11.47%, with the first and second-dose vaccination rates for those aged 65 and above 20.74% and 1.79%, respectively."  [emphasis added]

 

By comparison, the latest XBB vaccine update estimates from the U.S. say about 22% of adults have gotten the XBB vaccine, including more than 40% of senior citizens age 65 and above.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data-research/dashboard/vaccination-trends-adults.html

 

https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-over-65-84bd91f6c51db7bbb334bd18a07e4f3b

 

 

Thailand, by comparison, has no government program to administer XBB COVID vaccines, and privately sourced XBB COVID vaccinations here are likely so few that they're not tracked or publicly reported.

 

So unfortunately regarding Taiwan, it's not any great surprise that they're now reporting increasing numbers of COVID hospitalizations and deaths, largely among the senior citizen population there. Particularly since new research is indicating that the older COVID vaccines, now 1-2 or more years and multiple COVID variant changes later, basically aren't nowadays providing any better protection vs. being unvaccinated.

 

Edited July 3 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Lorry]

People in Taiwan now wear even less masks than in Thailand. 

Old people usually do wear masks,  but their young relatives don't. 

Since May, masks are not compulsory anymore in healthcare facilities. 

They do sell N95s in convenience stores,  though. 

 

The disinfectant craze of the last years has completely disappeared,  it's hard to find a dispenser, and then it's empty or out of use. 

That's a problem,  because the lack of value Chinese culture puts on cleanliness is what brought us covid in the first place.  

 

And, as mentioned,  the constant barrage of the anti-vaxxers and covid deniers has finally had some effects in Taiwan,  too.

 

[Robert Paulson]

Nobody is getting the vax because they know 

[Lorry]

On 7/6/2024 at 8:36 PM, Robert Paulson said:

Nobody is getting the vax because they know 

People the age of AN posters do get vaccinated in Taiwan. 

Because they know. 

 

People in a hospital, staff, patients,  visitors, wear masks 98%.

Because they know. 

 

It would be good if you knew, too...

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This summer's COVID surge is Taiwan keeps getting worse.

 

As per the last three COVID reports there, weekly COVID deaths have gone from 40 to 64 (as reported above) to now 99 for the latest weekly report:

Taiwan reports 99 COVID deaths over past week

987 new severe COVID cases reported from July 2-7, a 6% increase from last week

 

Jul. 9, 2024

 

"TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday (July 9) reported 99 deaths from COVID, a 54.68% increase from the previous week.

 

There were also 987 new severe COVID cases from July 2 - 8, a 5.9% increase from last week. Individuals aged 65 and above account for 79% of the severe cases and 90% of the deaths. 

...

The CDC said the domestic COVID outbreak is worsening, is in the epidemic phase, and could plateau in mid-July. The JN. 1 variant is the most prevalent, both domestically and from overseas, accounting for 38% and 39% of cases, respectively. 

 

(more)

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5899674

 

 

Taiwan has only about one-third of the population of Thailand at about 24 million people, but also is considered one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Taiwan is ranked 18th in the world by population density, while Thailand is ranked 92nd.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density

 

 

Edited July 11 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Robert Paulson]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:34 AM, Lorry said:

People the age of AN posters do get vaccinated in Taiwan. 

Because they know. 

 

People in a hospital, staff, patients,  visitors, wear masks 98%.

Because they know. 

 

It would be good if you knew, too...

 

It doesn’t seem like they do know their neurosis is ever increasing 

[Lorry]

On 7/11/2024 at 6:48 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Taiwan is ranked 18th in the world by population density,

Taiwan has 2 halves of roughly equal size: the 4000m-high mountains in the east,  almost uninhabited.

The West coast,  everybody lives here. Population density here is twice as high as in the Netherlands (highest in Europe), half of Bangladesh (highest in the world).

 

Taiwan is an aged society,  much older than Thailand.  

Old people still live with the family (that's how they got infected in Italy and Spain 2020). In Thailand,  the young are in Bangkok, the old in the village. 

 

BTW Covid is also rising in the US and in Germany - like in Taiwan,  it's summer in all of these places and we were told covid waves would become a typical respiratory disease of the winter...

 

 

[Red Phoenix]

3 minutes ago, Lorry said:

BTW Covid is also rising in the US and in Germany - like in Taiwan,  it's summer in all of these places and we were told covid waves would become a typical respiratory disease of the winter...

Yes, we were told many things.  Why people still trust these 'expert opinions' when being confronted later with the opposite, is beyond me... 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Because this particular coronavirus re COVID was a new one for humans with no historic past track record to base predictions/expectations on, other than the history of OTHER respiratory viruses.  But as time has passed, COVID hasn't behaved the same as other respiratory viruses before it. So we learn as we go along. And different countries/geographies may have different seasonality patterns.

 

Per the U.S. CDC:

COVID-19 can surge throughout the year

"Many respiratory virus illnesses peak during the winter due to environmental conditions and human behaviors. COVID-19 has peaks in the winter and also at other times of the year, including the summer, driven by new variants and decreasing immunity from previous infections and vaccinations.

...

Because the evolution of new variants remains unpredictable, SARS-CoV-2 is not a typical “winter” respiratory virus.

...

Data from four years of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths show that COVID-19 has winter peaks (most recently in late December 2023 and early January 2024), but also summer peaks (most recently in July and August of 2023). There is no distinct COVID-19 season like there is for influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)."

 

 

https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/covid-19-can-surge-throughout-the-year.html

 

 

Edited July 13 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Lorry]

22 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

Yes, we were told many things.  Why people still trust these 'expert opinions' when being confronted later with the opposite, is beyond me... 

I knew my sentence would be used by the anti- science brigade. 

But I still find it puzzling. 

The reason are probably the new variants.   (Edit: TallGuy beat me to this)

Edited July 13 by Lorry

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Because this particular coronavirus re COVID was a new one for humans with no historic past track record to base predictions/expectations on, other than the history of OTHER respiratory viruses.  But as time has passed, COVID hasn't behaved the same as other respiratory viruses before it. So we learn as we go along. And different countries/geographies may have different seasonality patterns.

What monumental hogwash.

[0ffshore360]

OCD much ! Obsessive Covid Distraction .

All other diseases of equal and/or greater concern have been  eliminated ? No !

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

COVID-19, influenza outbreaks have peaked: CDC

07/16/2024

 

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) COVID-19 and influenza cases in Taiwan have peaked, with the epidemic phases likely to pass by mid-August, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.

...

Lee Chia-lin (李佳琳), the deputy director of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Center, said that 898 new domestic COVID-19 cases with severe complications were recorded last week, a week-over-week drop of around 9 percent.

 

"But the overall number of cases remains high, exceeding our epidemic prediction threshold, which indicates that the outbreak is still ongoing," Lee said, adding that 104 new COVID-19-related death cases were reported last week, slightly higher than the previous week's 99 cases.

 

(more)

 

https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202407160016

 

 

So, recapping the successive news reports above, Taiwan's weekly COVID deaths over the past four weeks have gone from 40 to 64 to 99 and now 104 for the most recent week.

 

[stoner]

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So, recapping the successive news reports above, Taiwan's weekly COVID deaths over the past four weeks have gone from 40 to 64 to 99 and now 104 for the most recent week.

 

 

I say full lock down needed.

[Robert Paulson]

On 7/17/2024 at 7:56 AM, stoner said:

 

I say full lock down needed.

I think masks and boosting every 6 month old should suffice. Let’s not get crazy here, pal 

[stoner]

1 minute ago, Robert Paulson said:

I think masks and boosting every 6 month old should suffice. Let’s not get crazy here, pal 

 

lockdown NOW. 

[Robert Paulson]

1 minute ago, stoner said:

 

lockdown NOW. 

It’s so hilarious. Really it is. We locked down so everyone went out shopping for food, came back and gave covid to their family members in their cooped up homes while not getting any sun or exercise. It’s almost so stupid that you should not even be able to make it up. Truth is dumber than fiction i suppose

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, Robert Paulson said:

It’s so hilarious. Really it is. We locked down so everyone went out shopping for food, came back and gave covid to their family members in their cooped up homes while not getting any sun or exercise. It’s almost so stupid that you should not even be able to make it up. Truth is dumber than fiction i suppose

 

make sure you beep before going into 7/11.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Taiwan CDC reported Tuesday that the country's new COVID deaths increased again during the past week to 124, while new serious COVID cases (hospitalizations) declined for a second straight week to 773. The CDC, as with past weeks, said most of the serious cases and new COVID deaths involved the elderly age 65 and above.

 

Week Ending -- Severe COVID cases -- COVID Deaths

June 17          --        624                      --   N/A

June 24         --        817                       --  40

July 1             --        932                      --  64

July 8            --        987                       --  99

July 15          --        896 (revised)       -- 104

July 22         --           773                             -- 124   

 

Noting that regional neighbor Japan likewise has been having a COVID surge amid the peak summer travel season, the Taiwan CDC urged its citizens planning to travel to Japan, and senior citizens in general, to be up-to-date with the latest available XBB COVID vaccine, and to practice personal hygiene habits such as frequent hand washing and wearing face masks when in crowded or poorly ventilated places.

 

Source:

 

 

 

Edited July 23 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[stoner]

On 7/23/2024 at 10:54 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The CDC, as with past weeks, said most of the serious cases and new COVID deaths involved the elderly age 65 and above.

 

 

Most covid deaths overall fell into this age group. Right from the get go it was always mostly old and sick people who died of covid. 

 

The numbers are clear as day on this.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The global COVID deaths these days, 4-1/2 years into the pandemic and after 7 million official and up to 30 million COVID excess deaths prior, are predominantly among the elderly.

 

But over the duration of the pandemic, the age distribution hasn't been so lopsided as your comments above suggest. Look at the official age breakdown for COVID deaths in the U.S. from the start of the pandemic in 2020 through Sept. 2023 as one example -- almost 278,000 deaths, or 24%, in the under age 65 cohorts.

 

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm#SexAndAge

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

COVID-19 epidemic phase to pass mid-August: Taiwan CDC

07/30/2024

 

Taipei, July 30 (CNA) Although Taiwan is still in a COVID-19 epidemic phase, it is expected to pass by mid-August, said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at a press conference in Taipei on Tuesday.

 

A total of 584 new domestic COVID-19 cases with severe complications were recorded between July 23-29, down from the previous week's 773. The number of deaths from COVID-19 also fell from 124 recorded the previous week to 90, the CDC said.

 

CDC Deputy Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said the number of patients seeking medical attention relating to COVID-19 last week was 56,000, 37 percent less than the previous week and the third consecutive week the number has fallen.

 

(more)

 

https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202407300021

 

 

Week Ending -- Severe COVID cases -- COVID Deaths

June 17          --        624                      --   N/A

June 24         --        817                       --  40

July 1             --        932                      --  64

July 8            --        987                       --  99

July 15          --        896 (revised)        -- 104

July 22          --       773                        -- 124   

July 29         --          584                            -- 90

 

 

Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen for three weeks, but the recent drop could be due to people staying at home amid last week’s typhoon, the CDC said

...

Meanwhile, the 584 new local COVID-19 hospitalizations and 90 deaths reported last week were lower than the weekly numbers in the previous week, Lee said.

 

Genome sequencing data of local infections in the past four weeks showed that the JN.1 and KP.3 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 each accounted for 24 percent of the cases, while LB.1 was responsible for about 21 percent, she said.

 

The weekly number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has fallen for three weeks, but last week’s drop could be because the typhoon caused the cancelation of many public events and people to stay home, so it might slightly rebound this week, Lo said.

 

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/07/31/2003821560

 

 

Edited July 31 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Patong2021]

Depressing topic. Having survived the Covid pandemic peak, I hope that we do not have to go through another pandemic in my lifetime. Yes, Covid is here to stay. Unfortunately, unlike other respiratory illnesses we still are not managing as well as it could be. The  mortality rate from an infection is still far too high. Worse is the dismissal of the infection by some because it doesn't kill off younger people. What they forget is that it is an inflammatory disease and we do not know what its long term impact is on those who have been infected. Remember when childhood chickenpox was not deadly, but then it comes back with a vengeance in older people as shingles and can leave people in pain for months.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The domestic COVID-19 epidemic is declining, but it is still in the epidemic period: Taiwan CDC

08/06/2024

 

Week Ending -- Severe COVID cases -- COVID Deaths

June 17          --        624                      --   N/A

June 24         --        817                       --  40

July 1             --        932                      --  64

July 8            --        987                       --  99

July 15          --        896 (revised)        -- 104

July 22          --       773                        -- 124   

July 29         --        584                        -- 90

Aug. 5         --       446                         -- 104

 

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the domestic COVID-19 epidemic situation is declining, but it is still in the epidemic period and the number of severe cases and deaths is still high. It is necessary to pay attention to the risk of serious illness. It is expected to be out of the epidemic period in late August.

...
The CDC pointed out that the global COVID-19 positivity rate continues to rise, with increases in Africa, Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, and fluctuations in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In some countries, such as Japan, the number of cases has increased for 12 consecutive weeks, and the positivity rate and emergency department in the United States have increased. The rate of medical treatment continues to rise, and the number of cases in Russia, Greece, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, Malaysia and Thailand is still high."

...

As the epidemic at home and abroad continues, and more than 91% of confirmed domestic complications and deaths have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, we call on those who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get vaccinated as soon as possible."

Source: Taiwan CDC

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

In the latest weekly update from the Taiwan CDC, severe COVID cases and new COVID deaths both declined from the prior week.

 

The Taiwan CDC's headline from Aug. 13:

The domestic COVID-19 epidemic situation is declining, but it is still in the epidemic period and the number of severe cases and deaths is still high. It is recommended that the public get the COVID-19 XBB vaccine as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe illness

The following is this poster's trends recap of prior Taiwan CDC reporting on severe cases and COVID deaths:

 

Week Ending -- Severe COVID cases -- COVID Deaths

June 17          --        624                      --   N/A

June 24         --        817                       --  40

July 1             --        932                      --  64

July 8            --        987                       --  99

July 15          --        896 (revised)        -- 104

July 22          --       773                        -- 124   

July 29         --        584                        -- 90

Aug. 5          --        445                       -- 104

Aug. 13       --        347                       --  57

 

The CDC also reported that most of the severe COVID cases and COVID deaths involved people age 65 and older.

 

Regarding COVID vaccinations, the CDC reported:

"As the epidemic at home and abroad continues, and more than 91% of confirmed domestic complications and deaths have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, we call on those who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get vaccinated as soon as possible."

 

"The CDC pointed out that the global COVID-19 positivity rate has been on an upward trend recently. Among them, the positivity rate in Africa and Southeast Asia has increased, while the positivity rate in the Eastern Mediterranean region has fluctuated. In some countries, such as China, the positivity rate has continued to rise since early July, and the United States has continued to rise since May. The positivity rate and emergency room visit rate have continued to rise since mid-month. The number of cases in Japan has declined but is still at a high point. The number of cases in Italy, Russia, Greece, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and other countries is also at a high point."

 

Source: Taiwan CDC