The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) last night reported four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the nation’s total to 436, after announcing at its 2pm news briefing that there had been no new cases and it was mulling loosening disease prevention regulations.
The four cases are members of the crew of the supply ship Panshih (磐石), one of three vessels that had taken part in a “Friendship Flotilla” to the Western Pacific and which became the center of a scandal after 31 crew tested positive for COVID-19 following the flotilla’s return to Taiwan, forcing 713 other navy personnel from the flotilla to be put into a 14-day centralized quarantine.
That quarantine period ended at 12am yesterday, and tests on the 713 had been completed by noon, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, told its afternoon briefing.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
Those whose tested negative would be released from quarantine, although they would still have to undergo a seven-day self-health management period, except for the 346 who had been on the Panshih, who would have to pass a second test today before they could be released, he said.
The rest of the sailors, officers and cadets would be released from quarantine at 5:30am today, Chen told the evening briefing.
The CECC and the Ministry of National Defense had increased communications in the wake of the Panshih scandal and established an ad hoc task force to modify the military’s standard disease prevention procedures, he added.
Photo: CNA
As it is difficult for shipboard medical officers to diagnose COVID-19, navy vessels deployed on longer journeys would be equipped with simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits, he said, adding that the center would also arrange for the kits to be available on outlying islands and in remote areas.
“I want to represent the ministry in apologizing again to the public for the infection incident on the Friendship Flotilla,” Deputy Minister of National Defense Chang Che-ping (張哲平) told the afternoon briefing.
The flotilla had fulfilled its goal of combat readiness training and a goodwill mission, and the military had learned more about disease prevention from the incident, so he hoped the public would support military personnel to help boost their morale as they guard the nation and protect its people, Chang added.
Photo: CNA
In the afternoon, Chen told reporters that while the center was mulling easing some restrictions, Taiwan could not afford to let its guard down.
“We are not asking a lot from everyone, but each individual must thoroughly perform personal protection measures, including wearing a mask, practice social distancing and frequently washing hands, as well as cooperating with temperature measuring and name registration at some locations,” he added.
Chen gave an example of how two US cities responded to the 1918 influenza pandemic — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suffered a high death rate due to slow actions during the early stages of the outbreak, while St Louis, Missouri, reacted quickly and had a significantly lower death rate.
However, when the pandemic seemed to be declining, St Louis rolled back its social distancing measures and the number of flu deaths went up again, he said, adding that Taiwan must remain vigilant to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) told the first briefing that the CECC had received the CPBL’s proposal to allow a maximum of 500 people, including players, staff, umpires and fans into baseball stadiums, with an audience about 250 people initially after reopening, and officials would review it.
Meanwhile, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said that beginning today, the city would open publicly owned sports centers and other venues that had been closed since March 20 in “two stages and four steps.”
The two stages refer to two two-week periods in which different types of venues would open, while the four steps refer to weekly meetings and evaluations to determine further openings, he said.
Sports centers, cultural centers, libraries and some community activity centers would open, he said.
The venues would require mandatory sign-in upon entry, and a controlled flow of entry — meaning people would enter one at a time and have their temperatures checked, he added.
The first stage would be from today to May 17, and would apply to outdoor venues, indoor venues with good circulation and the ability to control entries.
The city would require that venues be kept clean and that they only host activities that would allow for social distancing, Hou said.
The second stage would begin on May 18 and would be contingent on the absence of cases of community transmission.
The rest of public venues would reopen in this stage, with disease prevention prioritized, he said.
Additional reporting by Chen Hsin-yu and staff writer
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