Not Just Sore Throat and Fever! COVID-19 Enters Epidemic Phase with 66.5% Weekly Surge in Visits — See the Latest 8 Symptoms

Domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan have sharply increased, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officially declaring the start of the eighth Omicron wave. Latest statistics show 4,766 emergency and outpatient visits last week—an increase of 66.5% compared to the previous week. The epidemic indicator has risen for six consecutive weeks, with 25 new local severe cases and five local deaths reported.

CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui stated that the outbreak has already reached epidemic thresholds and will continue to rise over the coming weeks. The peak is expected between mid- and late-August, with weekly medical visits potentially reaching 50,000. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

Regarding the latest variant symptoms, Tseng explained that the NB.1.8.1 strain has been the dominant domestic variant over the past four weeks. Clinical observations indicate that most infections present with common upper respiratory symptoms, including sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches. Notably, temporary loss or impairment of smell and taste—common in earlier waves—has become less frequent among NB.1.8.1 cases.

Globally, NB.1.8.1 remains the most prevalent variant, accounting for 58.76% of cases, followed by XFG (19.07%) and JN.1 (15.46%). Neighboring regions including mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are also experiencing rising case numbers.

The expanding outbreak brings increased risks of severe illness and death. CDC infectious disease physician Lin Yung-ching shared a recent fatality involving a woman in her 60s. She had dementia and chronic neurological conditions and had not received a COVID-19 vaccine since 2021—five years ago.

Dr. Lin noted that the woman developed fever, cough, and fatigue in late June and visited a clinic, where she was diagnosed with a common cold. However, her appetite and mental state progressively worsened. By early July, emergency evaluation revealed liver and kidney dysfunction and bilateral pneumonia. She was hospitalized and later transferred to the ICU, but died one week later from acute cardiopulmonary failure due to COVID-19 complications.

With new variant threats emerging, many are questioning the effectiveness of existing vaccines, as the updated public-funded vaccines targeting the XFG variant won’t be available until October 1. Tseng responded that clinical trials show current Moderna and Novavax vaccines still offer effective protection against NB.1.8.1, XFG, and JN.1. Vaccination reduces emergency and outpatient visit risks by 48–50% and hospitalization risk by 53–55%, offering crucial protection for elderly individuals with chronic conditions.

The current public-funded vaccination program, open to all individuals aged six months and above, was initially set to end on July 31, 2026, with approximately 450,000 doses remaining. Tseng revealed that due to the ongoing rise in cases, the CDC is actively discussing extending this program to ensure broader public access to protection.