During winter vacation, many overseas Chinese students of TKU will return home, while a number of teachers and students may travel to some Southeastern Asian countries. Yet recently, the epidemic situation of bird flu calls for precaution. Overseas Chinese Student Guidance Section disseminates the leaflets about bird flu to overseas Chinese students, and Sanitation and Fitness Section keeps the exhortation to the teachers and students about to go abroad. Sanitation and Fitness Section indicates that at present, Taiwan is still a bird flu free zone since there is no case of avian influenza in Taiwan, so the school authorities only offer ear thermometers in the female dormitory and provide gauze mask to students under an attack of fever. Nevertheless, both sections remind persons who are going to the bird-flu inflicted countries to be more careful. Overseas Chinese Student Guidance Section appeals to the overseas Chinese students that if they have to go into and out of the nations affected by bird flu, they should follow the inspection and quarantine procedures of the Customs. They should put themselves in quarantine for ten days after they come back to Taiwan and pay attention to their personal hygiene.

The avian influenza (bird flu) is caused by type A strains of the influenza virus brought by birds. This kind of virus can survive for long periods in the environment, except in the hot temperature. Although there is no case of avian influenza in Taiwan, students still have to be cautious and not to contact with birds, especially the migratory birds, which is the largest reservoir of avian influenza viruses. In addition, in order to prevent bird flu, people need to wash their hands frequently, reduce the chance of going to public space, and not to eat fowl meat which is not boiled. (~ Shu-chun Yen )