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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ HEALTH

Enterovirus case confirmed

The Department of Health yesterday confirmed an enterovirus-71 case involving a 21-month-old child in Pingtung County, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 14 for the year. Lin Ting (林頂), deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said the girl's parents had taken her to a Kaohsiung medical center on Feb. 4 after finding blisters all over her body. The child was released from the hospital the next day after her condition improved. However, on Feb. 6, the child developed a fever, symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease, as well as arm and leg spasms, Lin said. The parents brought the child back to the medical center where she was immediately admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. After conducting tests, the hospital reported the suspected enterovirus-71 case to the CDC. The child was released from the medical center several days later after her condition again improved.



■ POLITICS

Chen to decide on proposal

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will decide whether to negotiate a third referendum proposal this week as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has pitched a third proposal to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平). Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) yesterday said that the president would consider different opinions, including DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷). During his meeting with President Chen last week, Hsieh expressed his support for the two referendum proposals that will be held concurrently with the presidential election on March 22. Hsieh also urged the president to call a meeting with DPP and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) representatives to discuss how to take advantage of the referendum mechanism to serve the best interest of the nation. The DPP has proposed holding a referendum on whether to join the UN using the name "Taiwan," while the KMT has suggested another referendum on "rejoining" the body using the country's official name.



■ TRANSPORTATION

TRA to try EasyCards

Railway passengers will be allowed to pay their fares with EasyCards in four stations in the greater Taipei area later this year on a trial basis, the president of the Taipei Smart Card Corp (TSCC) said yesterday. The Taipei, Wanhua (萬華), Banciao (板橋) and Shulin (樹林) stations will be included in the trial, which will allow the Taiwan Railway Administration to evaluate the feasibility of expanding the use of EasyCards to all 19 stations between Keelung and Jhongli (中壢), which see 400,000 commuters per day, company president Lin Chih-ying (林志盈) said. The contactless prepaid cards were first launched by the company in September 2002 as a travel pass for passengers using the metro and public bus systems in Taipei City.



■ CROSS-STRAIT TIES

Games an opportunity: Chen

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told a diplomatic gathering last night in Taipei that many human rights activists see the Beijing Olympics an opportunity for China to address its human-rights problem. He said he hoped China would host a successful event and adhere to the peaceful spirit of the international games, in addition to improving its human-rights policies. Chen urged China to give up its plans to invade Taiwan so that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait could coexist peacefully.
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