Taiwan officials prepare for COVID-19 surge through October

Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare reports that the current COVID-19 surge is expected to persist until late September or early October. Data indicates that the epidemic reached a peak in mid-August, with weekly medical visits estimated at 27,000. Notably, approximately 90% of recent severe cases were among individuals who had not received the current season's vaccine.

Premier Cho Jung-tai has directed health authorities to strengthen medical resource allocation and monitor hospital bed capacity to ensure care for severe patients. The government maintains sufficient supplies, including 140,000 vaccine doses, ample antiviral medications, and over 600,000 rapid test kits. Authorities are also coordinating with manufacturers to ensure testing kit production can meet rising demand.

As schools prepare to reopen in September, the Ministry of Education has been urged to implement strict campus epidemic prevention measures to mitigate the risk of cluster infections among students and staff.