Nearly 6,000 Individuals Sought Medical Assistance at Hospitals in Taiwan Last Week Due to New SARS-CoV-2 NB.1.8.1 Variant!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 09, 2025 2 weeks, 22 hours, 44 minutes ago
Medical News: Taiwan is facing yet another worrying surge of COVID-19 infections, with health authorities reporting a sharp increase in the number of people seeking medical care. According to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 6,000 individuals visited hospitals and emergency rooms across the island due to COVID-19-related symptoms between April 27 and May 3.
https://www.kdca.go.kr/
Nearly 6,000 Individuals Sought Medical Assistance at Hospitals in Taiwan Last Week Due to New SARS-CoV-2 NB.1.8.1 Variant
This marks a 78 percent increase from the previous week and represents the fourth consecutive week of rising case numbers. The new SARS-CoV-2 variant called NB.1.8.1 which is the current predominant strain In Taiwan is largely to be blamed for the rise in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Based on trends and current data, the situation in Taiwan is expected to worsen in coming weeks.
In total, 5,853 outpatient and emergency visits were attributed to COVID-19 during that one-week period, making it the highest weekly total recorded in 2025 so far. Taiwanese CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesperson Lo Yi-chun confirmed the surge at a press briefing, describing it as a “rapid upward trend” that health officials are closely monitoring. While the current weekly number is still far below the peak of 19,334 cases recorded during the same week last year, the rate of increase has alarmed authorities. This
Medical News report aims to break down the situation in simple terms for everyday readers and explain what might lie ahead.
Rising Infections Amid Omicron’s Seventh Wave
Lo Yi-chun warned that Taiwan is currently in the midst of its seventh wave of Omicron variant infections, with the peak expected to arrive sometime in June. He suggested this wave could be as bad if not worse as the surge which occurred six months ago and saw as many as 130,000 infections in a single week. Nonetheless, the growing number of cases and the appearance of severe illnesses are a stark reminder that COVID-19 is far from over.
Health authorities are still urging people who received their initial JN.1 dose more than six months ago to get a booster as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe illness or death. (There is no real proof that that these vaccines work especially against the newer strains.)
Severe Cases and Tragic Outcomes
From April 29 to May 5, Taiwan recorded 33 severe cases of COVID-19 and four associated deaths. That brings the national total for 2025 to 203 severe cases and 37 deaths, according to Lee Chia-lin, deputy director of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Center. Most of those severely affected were elderly individuals over the age of 65 or those with existing health problems.
One particularly heartbreaking case involves a previously healthy four-year-old girl from central Taiwan. The child, who had not be
en vaccinated against COVID-19, began experiencing mild symptoms like a cough and low-grade fever in late April. Despite being treated with antibiotics at a local clinic, her condition deteriorated. In early May, she was rushed to the emergency room with difficulty breathing and dangerously low blood oxygen levels.
Tests confirmed she had COVID-19, complicated by pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A chest X-ray revealed widespread lung inflammation, and lab tests showed high levels of white blood cells and inflammation markers. She is currently receiving antiviral medications in an intensive care unit and remains in stable condition, although she still suffers from shortness of breath.
A Call for Caution and Vigilance
With new variants constantly evolving and immunity potentially waning, continued vigilance is necessary. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the virus remains under control or spirals into another large-scale outbreak.
In conclusion, while Taiwan’s health system is better equipped and more experienced in managing COVID-19 today than in past years, the recent surge in cases serves as a potent reminder that the pandemic is not over. The public is urged to remain cautious and not delay seeking medical attention if symptoms appear.
For the latest on NB.1.8.1, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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