Taipei: Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases last week, with over 40,000 individuals seeking medical treatment, Focus Taiwan reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, CDC officials highlighted that the outbreak is escalating rapidly, with a continuous rise in severe and fatal cases. Between May 18 and 24, there were 41,402 outpatient and emergency visits related to COVID-19, more than twice the 19,097 visits recorded the previous week, based on CDC data. This marked the seventh consecutive week of increases, with the previous week's total also exceeding the 23,555 visits reported during the same period in 2024.

CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun explained that the surge is primarily due to the rapid spread of the virus, although increased testing has also contributed to uncovering previously undetected cases. The new variant, NB.1.8.1, possesses strong immune evasion abilities, allowing it to bypass the body's existing defenses more easily and is more transmissible than earlier variants.

Lo also noted that the absence of a major outbreak during winter left many people unexposed to the latest variant, resulting in a lack of immunity from natural infection. While the CDC initially projected that the current outbreak would peak in mid to late June with weekly medical visits reaching up to 100,000, recent estimates now suggest the peak will be delayed until late June or early July, with weekly visits expected to rise to between 150,000 and 200,000.