For the first time in more than a month, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19.
The last time no new confirmed cases were announced was on March 9, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said at a news briefing in Taipei.
While the pandemic is not over yet, having no new cases is still worth being happy about, said Chen, who heads the center.
Photo: CNA
As of yesterday, there were 393 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan — 338 imported and 55 local — the center said.
There have been six deaths so far, while 124 patients have been released from quarantine, up from 114 on Monday, it said.
Meanwhile, National Taiwan Normal University said that the first student at the school to test positive for COVID-19 was discharged from hospital on Monday.
The student, who tested positive on March 30, was discharged after testing negative for the virus three times, the university said in a statement.
A second case at the school — a roommate of the first case — was confirmed on Wednesday last week, it said.
All of those who had been ordered to isolate at home or self-manage their health due to possible contact with the two students completed the 14-day period on Monday, it said.
However, since the situation has not yet subsided, the school would continue to remain vigilant, and routinely clean and disinfect its premises, as well as take other preventive measures, it said.
Distance learning at the school began on Monday last week and is to continue through Friday, the university added.
The CECC yesterday also announced that starting today, masks designed for children aged four to eight would be available for preorder online.
The masks are about 8cm by 12cm when folded, it said.
The center would also reinstate an age restriction on purchases of children’s masks.
Nearly one-quarter of children’s masks have been purchased using National Health Insurance (NHI) cards belonging to adults since the practice was allowed, it said.
Starting on Thursday next week, only NHI cards belonging to children aged 16 and under can be used to purchase children’s masks to ensure that children are given priority, it said.
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
The High Court yesterday found a New Taipei City woman guilty of charges related to helping Beijing secure surrender agreements from military service members. Lee Huei-hsin (李慧馨) was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法), making illegal compacts with government employees and bribery, the court said. The verdict is final. Lee, the manager of a temple in the city’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), was accused of arranging for eight service members to make surrender pledges to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in exchange for money, the court said. The pledges, which required them to provide identification
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
’DISTORTION’: Beijing’s assertion that the US agreed with its position on Taiwan is a recurring tactic it uses to falsely reinforce its sovereignty claims, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said Chinese state media deliberately distorted Taiwan’s sovereign status, following reports that US President Donald Trump agreed to uphold the “one China” policy in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). During the more than one-hour-long call, Xi urged Trump to retreat from trade measures that roiled the global economy and cautioned him against threatening steps on Taiwan, a Chinese government summary of the call said. China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying that the US should handle the Taiwan issue cautiously and avoid the two countries being drawn into dangerous