In the past, dengue fever outbreaks mostly occurred in Southern Taiwan, but this year, cases of dengue fever have emerged in Central Taiwan. Apart from sporadic cases in Taichung City, Changhua County, and Nantou County, one county has had the highest number of local cases: Yunlin. The EPA and the Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau have been collaborating closely to conduct inspections and even utilize drones to ensure comprehensive dengue fever prevention.

To prevent dengue fever outbreaks, the Central Region Environmental Management Center of the EPA’s Bureau of Environmental Inspection has adopted an active role since the onset of the epidemic. Apart from daily communication with the Southern Regional Center of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control to monitor the situation, the center has also established a communication platform with the environmental protection bureaus of the five counties and cities in the central region. This has allowed them to stay informed about the preventive measures taken and their effectiveness in response to changing epidemic conditions. It has also enabled them to continuously review and strengthen the measures as needed, and to provide necessary assistance when it’s needed.

In response to the more severe epidemic situation in Yunlin County, starting from 17 July 2023, the Central Region Environmental Management Center has been collaborating closely with the Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau to conduct continuous inspections and patrols in hotspots, utilizing a multifaceted mobilization approach and drone aerial operations to ensure comprehensive dengue fever prevention. Priority inspections were carried out in the five villages in Gukeng Township that had reported confirmed cases. The inspection efforts then progressively extended outward from these hotspots. Fines were issued for having containers with stagnant water where mosquito larvae were found. As of 23 July, a total of 30 positive breeding sources had been identified through inspections and reported in accordance with the law. Prompt actions were taken to eliminate these sources. The Yunlin County Government has also initiated a county-wide mosquito eradication campaign with large-scale enforcement. Borough and village leaders were mobilized to inspect and educate households, while township offices supervised the process. The county’s environmental bureau also conducted rigorous inspections. As of 22 July, a cumulative total of 1,458 personnel had been mobilized, 318 boroughs and villages cleaned, 4,847 breeding sources cleared, and 827 areas fumigated.