Deputy Minister Lin Tzou-Yien of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Deputy Minister Chang Tzi-Chin of the Environmental Protection Administration co-hosted the Second Coordination Conference for the Management of Dengue Fever Outbreaks this year (2014) on August 29. Relevant central ministries and departments, Tainan City Government, Kaohsiung City Government, and Pingtung County Government were invited to the conference to discuss responsive measures with the aim of strengthening central-local governmental cooperation for effective disease control. 
 
The conference was focused on a prevention strategy that stresses both public health and medical care. Central ministries and departments were requested to tighten their management and patrolling of premises, vacant lands, and vacant houses under their jurisdictions. County and city governments were also requested to continue their intense publicity of preventive methods for people and disclose information on the epidemic. Efforts were focused on promoting the reduction of containers in the community. For those people or organizations that fail to remove breeding sources, governmental authorities should be utilized to imbue a sense of motivation to remove breeding sources. In addition, education and training for doctors and other professionals would be conducted to improve care for patients with dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever, hence reducing incidences of fatalities. 
 
Indigenous dengue fever cases from the start of this summer until now have risen to over 1,000, 13 of which are dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in 2 deaths. This year’s outbreak came earlier than those of previous years, with the peak expected to come in October and November. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) emphasized that the relatively high temperature and intermittent torrential rain this year lead to a higher density of vector mosquitoes than last year in various locations. Citizens taking the initiative to eliminate breeding sources and clinical physicians remaining on heightened alert are the keys to effectively control the spread of the disease, as well as reduce the number of serious cases and fatalities. 
 
The CDC revealed that the epidemic remains concentrated in the Lingya, Xiaogang, Fengshan, and Qianzhen Districts of Kaohsiung City and that dengue fever cases in the five counties and cities outside Kaohsiung City all showed an activity history in Kaohsiung City itself. In response to the dengue fever epidemic, the Executive Yuan has agreed to utilize its second budget reserve totaling NT$30 million to help Kaohsiung City in facilitating various preventive and management tasks. Since outbreaks of dengue fever Type I to IV all occurred in southern Taiwan, repeated infection by different types of dengue viruses may lead to dengue hemorrhagic fever with its more serious symptoms. According to medical research, sufferers of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, etc. are at a higher risk for dengue hemorrhagic fever. With early and accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, the risk of death may drop down to below 1%.