Taiwan: Nationwide Qingming Festival celebrations April 5-7

Event

Taiwan will celebrate the Qingming Festival from Thursday, April 5, through Saturday, April 7. As the Qingming Festival is a national holiday in Taiwan, many citizens will use the long weekend to go on holiday. To accommodate the increased number of travelers, the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corporation announced that 316 additional trains will operate from Tuesday, April 3, through Monday, April 9. Increased congestion at travel hubs, demand for hotels (and higher prices), as well as increased road traffic, are to be anticipated, along with business, store, and government office closures.

Taiwanese health officials have advised the public to take precautions against chigger (commonly referred to as red bugs) bites, which can transmit scrub typhus, by using insect repellent and wearing long sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors. As of March 25, a total of 67 scrub typhus cases have been confirmed this year.

Context

Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, usually takes place for three days in mid-April, beginning on the first day of the fifth solar term. During the festival people commemorate and show respect to their ancestors by visiting their graves, offering food, burning incense, and sweeping the tombs.

Scrub typhus is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, an intracellular gram-negative bacterium, which is transmitted to humans and rodents by chigger mites. Signs and symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, cough, and gastrointestinal symptoms. No licensed vaccine is available.

Advice

Individuals present in Taiwan should remain alert, follow all instructions issued by authorities, and avoid particularly crowded areas, due in part to the risk of stampede associated with extremely crowded conditions. Remain on guard against petty crime, which typically rises in large crowds. In addition, individuals should anticipate transportation disruptions and plan ahead for severe congestion and delays.

To avoid chigger bites, individuals should use insect repellent and wear long sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors.