HEALTH
Dengue cases total 25,379
The nation reported another 248 cases of dengue fever, bringing the total number of infections since the start of May to 25,379, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. As of Sunday, Kaohsiung and Tainan, where the dengue fever outbreak is concentrated, had reported 125 and 119 new cases respectively. It appears that the dengue fever outbreak is intensifying in Kaohsiung and abating in Tainan, the CDC said, adding that the two southern cities have accumulated 4,544 and 20,400 cases so far respectively. While 23,076 dengue patients have recovered nationwide, 43 are still being treated in intensive care units, CDC statistics showed. In addition, Tropical Storm Koppu could bring rain as it approaches the nation, which is favorable for vector breeding.
CULTURE
Museum to be renovated
The Juming Museum (朱銘美術館), a popular indoor and outdoor showcase for dramatic sculptures located on the nation’s northern coast, is to close for three months from Nov. 2 for a renovation of the museum’s interior and restoration of some of its artworks. It is to be the first time the museum has closed for such a long period of time since it was established by Ju Ming (朱銘), the nation’s best-known sculptor, in 1999 to house his works, the museum said. Before the museum gets its facelift, it is to be open to the public free of admission between 6pm and 9pm on Oct. 31, and music is to be performed in the outdoor space to entertain visitors, it said. The museum added that the huge Living World Series collage of works displayed in the central hall of the main building are to be taken down during the three-month closure to be maintained and restored.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard