#Taiwan, Ministry of Health urges #Schools to prepare for start of lessons as #COVID19 #epidemic still active (August 18 '26, extract): PQ.16.1.1 Variant Predominates

 

{Excerpt}

(...)

    According to CDC monitoring data, the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan continues to rise. 

    In the 32nd week (August 9-15), there were 26,214 outpatient and emergency room visits related to COVID-19, an increase of 4.5% compared to the previous week (August 2-8). 

    Last week (August 11-17), there were 84 new locally transmitted severe cases and 12 new locally transmitted deaths. 

    Since October 2025, there have been a total of 421 local cases of COVID-19 complicated by severe illness, of which 54 have died. 

    The majority of severe cases are among those aged 65 and above (73.9%) and those with a history of chronic diseases (83.6%). 88.8% of these cases have not been vaccinated this season. 

    In the past four weeks, the predominant variant strain in local cases is PQ.16.1.1. 

    The global positivity rate is trending upward, particularly in Europe and Africa, while the Western Pacific region remains at a plateau. 

    The US is experiencing a rise in cases, Japan is fluctuating around a relative high point, South Korea's situation is stable, China reached its peak and is now declining weekly, and Hong Kong's situation continues to decline. 

    The most prevalent global variant strain recently is PQ.16.1.1, followed by NB.1.8.1 and XFG.

(...)

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/Bulletin/Detail/lCnPtiCcsOLLsYsQqdYp3w?typeid=9

____