In mid-November, the Council of Agriculture announced a new epidemic. It wasn't SARS or even avian flu; rather, it was an invasion of red imported fire ants. The COA has banned the removal of cultivation mediums and plants from infested areas without prior inspection and approval, and has asked specialists from the US and Australia to Taiwan to share their experience in tackling these pests.
十一月中，行政院農委會宣布了一項新的「疫情」，它不是 SARS，不是禽流感，而是紅火蟻入侵，農委會正式公告「入侵紅火蟻」為特定疫病蟲害種類，其發生地點之花卉、種苗及栽培介質非經檢查合格，禁止遷移。