The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new COVID-19 infections, marking the 14th consecutive day that no domestic cases had been reported in Taiwan.
The nation has 429 confirmed cases — out of 60,459 suspected cases — including six deaths and 281 who were removed from isolation after treatment, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
Of the confirmed cases, 343 are imported, 55 are domestic and 31 are crew members of the navy supply vessel Panshih (磐石), he said.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
“People who are planning to travel during the upcoming Workers’ Day long weekend still have to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and maintain good personal and environmental hygiene,” Chen said. “These measures are still very important.”
Many people were worried about widespread local infections after large crowds gathered at scenic spots during the Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend earlier this month, but no domestic cases have been reported for 14 consecutive days, which shows that the nation is relatively safe, he added.
“This safety relies on the cautiousness of people and would not exist if everyone let their guard down, so people must remain vigilant,” Chen said.
Transportation authorities and police are cooperating to control vehicle traffic and people flow at many tourist spots, he said.
People can use the Freeway Bureau’s Freeway 1968 (高速公路1968) mobile app to find out whether the number of vehicles or visitors at a scenic area has exceeded the alert level and whether they should avoid that area.
Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), deputy head of the center, said that traffic and crowd control measures were implemented at national parks and scenic areas after the Tomb Sweeping Day weekend.
The center has asked market development associations to help implement crowd control measures at night markets, traditional markets and shopping areas, he said.
Taiwan has achieved an outstanding result in preventing a COVID-19 outbreak so far, because a specialist panel has provided the CECC with correct information to help it draw up disease prevention strategies in a timely manner, while the Centers for Disease Control and local health departments have carefully conducted contact investigations, Chen Tsung-yen said.
Efficient cooperation among ministries, local governments and police departments to monitor and provide services to people under home isolation or quarantine also contributed to the nation’s successful disease prevention record, allowing most people to continue their daily lives without being affected too much by the disease, he added.
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday lavished US President Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals. Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage and even announced that she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said. Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world,
GLOBAL PROJECT: Underseas cables ‘are the nervous system of democratic connectivity,’ which is under stress, Member of the European Parliament Rihards Kols said The government yesterday launched an initiative to promote global cooperation on improved security of undersea cables, following reported disruptions of such cables near Taiwan and around the world. The Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables aims to “bring together stakeholders, align standards, promote best practices and turn shared concerns into beneficial cooperation,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said at a seminar in Taipei. The project would be known as “RISK,” an acronym for risk mitigation, information sharing, systemic reform and knowledge building, he said at the seminar, titled “Taiwan-Europe Subsea Cable Security Cooperation Forum.” Taiwan sits at a vital junction on
LONG-HELD POSITION: Washington has repeatedly and clearly reiterated its support for Taiwan and its long-term policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday said that Taiwan should not be concerned about being used as a bargaining chip in the ongoing US-China trade talks. “I don’t think you’re going to see some trade deal where, if what people are worried about is, we’re going to get some trade deal or we’re going to get favorable treatment on trade in exchange for walking away from Taiwan,” Rubio told reporters aboard his airplane traveling between Israel and Qatar en route to Asia. “No one is contemplating that,” Reuters quoted Rubio as saying. A US Treasury spokesman yesterday told reporters
RSS