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.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is set to issue sea and land warnings for Tropical Storm Krathon as projections showed that the tropical storm could strengthen into a typhoon as it approaches Taiwan proper, the CWA said yesterday. The sea warning is scheduled to take effect this morning and the land warning this evening, it said. The storm formed yesterday morning and in the evening reached a point 620 nautical miles (1,148km) southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, moving west-southwest at 4 kph as it strengthened, the CWA said. Its radius measured between 220km and 250km, it added. Krathon is projected
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