Taiwan's number of SARS probable cases continued to fall yesterday for the second consecutive day as three cases were reclassified and two more probable cases were reported.
"All of the five cases concerned were old cases. Three probable cases were reclassifed and two suspected cases were identified as probable cases," said Department of Health (DOH) official Wang Chih-chao (王哲超) yesterday.
"All together, the total number of Taiwan's probable cases fell from 679 of the previous day down to 678 and the death toll remained at 81 for the seventh consecutive day," Wang said.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
"The situation is almost under control due to our efforts. But it can be also attributed to hot summer days," Su Yi-jen (蘇益仁), director of the Center for Disease Control, said yesterday.
Su said the public should remain alert to SARS because the virus might hit Taiwan this winter and again early next year.
Su said hospitals would still need to be vigilant against SARS and residents were encouraged to try their best to take the necessary prevention measures.
DOH Director General Chen Chien-jen (
Chen said that medical records show that an increase in SARS carriers -- patients infected with SARS without apparent symptoms -- indicate that the virus' virulence has decreased but also noted that this shows that SARS might not be eradicated soon.
"What happened in the Toronto, Canada -- where the virus crept back while the country thought the disease had been contained, is likely to happen to any place in the world. We have to pay heed to such a warning," Chen said.
However, he said, "it is unlikely that the scale of the infection would be as large as what we had in the past month with a huge spike of the number of people infected and quarantined.
WHEELING AND DEALING? Hou You-yi, Ko Wen-je, Eric Chu and Ma Ying-jeou are under investigation for allegedly offering bribes for the other side to drop out of the race Taipei prosecutors have started an investigation into allegations that four top politicians involved in attempts to form a “blue-white” presidential ticket have contravened election regulations. Listed as defendants are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). The case stemmed from judicial complaints filed last month with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office alleging that the KMT (blue) and the TPP (white) had engaged in bribery by offering money or other enticements
COUNTER DISINFORMATION: More engagement and media literacy are needed to push back against misinformation and claims that the US is an unreliable partner, the AIT director said The US is “confident” that Taiwan does not face an imminent threat of a Chinese invasion, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk told a US public radio show, adding that Washington remains committed to defensively arming the nation. She made the comment during an interview on All Things Considered, broadcast on Friday on US-based National Public Radio. “There is an important distinction between making plans and training troops, and getting ready to do something,” Oudkirk said, on whether she thinks Beijing plans to attack Taiwan in the near future. Chinese officials have told Washington that “their preference is for peaceful reunification,
EXPOSED: Some Taipei wardens reported joining the trips out of peer pressure, while others said they were relieved it was made public so they could refuse, a city councilor said Nearly 30 percent of Taipei borough wardens have joined group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government, leading prosecutors probing potential Chinese interference in January’s elections to question local officials, an investigation showed. Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City councilors Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) and Chen E-jun (陳怡君) have reported cases of Taipei borough wardens inviting residents to join inexpensive privately organized group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government. The six-day trips reportedly cost NT$10,000 to NT$15,000, the councilors said. An investigation by the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) showed that nearly 30 percent
ELIGIBLE FOR JANUARY: All presidential candidates and their running mates meet the requirements to run for office, and none hold dual citizenship, the CEC said Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator and vice presidential candidate Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈) is working with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to resolve issues with her financial disclosure statement, a spokesman for the candidate said yesterday, after the commission published the statements of all three presidential candidates and their running mates, while confirming their eligibility to run in the Jan. 13 election. Wu’s office spokesman, Chen Yu-cheng (陳宥丞), said the candidate encountered unforeseen difficulties disclosing her husband’s finances due to being suddenly thrust into the campaign. She is also the first vice presidential nominee to have a foreign spouse, complicating the reporting of