The Central Epidemic Command Center yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19 — the second time this week — and confirmed that Taiwanese and WHO experts had exchanged information about the pandemic via telephone a day earlier.
The center last reported zero new cases on Tuesday — the first time since March 9 that no new cases had been reported.
As of the center’s daily news briefing in Taipei yesterday, 155 confirmed patients had been released from isolation, up from 137 on Wednesday, the center said.
Photo: CNA
That was out of a total of 395 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Taiwan — 340 imported and 55 domestic — out of which six have died, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
The sources of 10 local infections remain unknown, he said.
Eight have completed a 14-day observation period, while two — the nation’s 336th and 379th cases — remain under investigation, Chen said, but added that the observation period for the 336th case, which was reported on April 2, was to end yesterday.
Photo: CNA
There have been no new domestic infections reported for four consecutive days, he said.
The center last reported a local infection on Sunday — one of three new cases that day.
The center on Tuesday created a legal affairs division, headed by Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂), to provide faster and more meticulous legal assistance, Chen said.
Photo: CNA
Advisory specialist panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) confirmed that a telephone conversation had taken place on Wednesday between the center and WHO officials.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, WHO principal legal officer Steve Solomon said that he and WHO COVID-19 technical lead Maria van Kerkhove had spoken with Taiwanese health authorities in February and earlier that day.
In the conference call, which lasted about an hour, WHO officials briefed the center on the global COVID-19 situation, while the center shared the measures that it has taken and the situation in Taiwan, Chang said.
The WHO officials were curious about the situation in Taiwan and wanted to know how the nation is managing to contain the coronavirus so well, he said.
Taiwanese experts expressed the hope that the nation could participate in more WHO events and told the officials that Taiwan is “very willing” to share with other nations its experience containing COVID-19, he added.
Meanwhile, asked about the results of a TVBS poll showing that he would defeat Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) in a Taipei mayoral election, Chen Shih-chung said that he has no plans to run for public office.
The poll, conducted via telephone from Monday to Wednesday, found that Chen would receive 53 percent of support and Chiang would receive 36 percent in a hypothetical head-to-head election tomorrow.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old