Collateral Benefit of COVID-19 Control Measures on Influenza Activity, Taiwan

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Aug;26(8):1928-1930. doi: 10.3201/eid2608.201192. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Abstract

Taiwan has strictly followed infection control measures to prevent spread of coronavirus disease. Meanwhile, nationwide surveillance data revealed drastic decreases in influenza diagnoses in outpatient departments, positivity rates of clinical specimens, and confirmed severe cases during the first 12 weeks of 2020 compared with the same period of 2019.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Taiwan; coronavirus disease; infection control measures; influenza; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • Betacoronavirus / physiology
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods
  • Coinfection
  • Communicable Disease Control / methods*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Humans
  • Hygiene
  • Incidence
  • Influenza A virus / pathogenicity
  • Influenza A virus / physiology
  • Influenza B virus / pathogenicity
  • Influenza B virus / physiology
  • Influenza, Human / diagnosis
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
  • Influenza, Human / transmission
  • Masks / supply & distribution
  • Office Visits / statistics & numerical data
  • Outpatients
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Physical Distancing
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Quarantine / methods
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Taiwan / epidemiology