No case linked with the outbreak of a viral pneumonia in China’s Wuhan has been confirmed in Taiwan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
Since Dec. 31, onboard inspection for respiratory diseases have been conducted on 20 flights that arrived from Wuhan, covering 2,199 passengers and crew, with 10 people showing symptoms indicating possible infection, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
Two among them showed symptoms matching the conditions for required reporting, but were excluded from possible cases after further examination, while the other eight have since improved, so there is no confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Taiwan, Chuang said.
Photo: CNA
A pneumonia outbreak of an unknown cause in the city in Hubei Province was reported in the middle of last month, with the main symptom being fever, with a few of them reporting difficulty breathing and examinations showing lung lesions.
The disease has been traced to a local seafood market that also sells live animals and raw meat, leading local health officials to speculate that the virus might have been transmitted from animals to humans.
The Chinese government on Thursday said that the pneumonia is caused by a novel coronavirus.
Chuang on Saturday said that the virus’ genome had been sequenced and was shown to be about 87 percent similar to a bat coronavirus.
With the genetic data, tests can be developed to screen for the disease, with results available within a few hours, he said, adding that such tests are likely to be ready this week at the soonest, he said.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 41 cases, including seven with serious complications and one death, Chuang said.
A 61-year-old man, who was a regular shopper at the market, had unrelated conditions, including an abdominal tumor and chronic liver disease, Chuang said, citing the Chinese agency. He died of respiratory failure and severe pneumonia in a hospital on Thursday.
CDC Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) yesterday said that the agency on Saturday received a telephone call from the Chinese National Health Commission approving a request — made in a letter sent last week — to send healthcare professionals to Wuhan to exchange information on the situation.
The CDC would send two experts to Wuhan to follow an epidemiologic investigation and learn about the detection, treatment and prevention measures that have been implemented in the city, Chou said.
They are to depart today or tomorrow at the earliest, he said.
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