The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19 and is mulling allowing a maximum of 1,000 spectators at CPBL games.
As of yesterday, Taiwan had recorded 438 cases of the coronavirus — 347 imported, 55 local infections and 36 from the navy’s “Friendship Flotilla.”
Among the confirmed cases, six people have died and 334 have been released from isolation, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, told a daily briefing in Taipei.
Photo: CNA
After last week saying that it expects to gradually loosen restrictions, as Taiwan’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been relatively successful, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), who is deputy head of the center, told the briefing that in discussions last week, the CECC advised the CPBL to use 1,000 as a reference point to decide the maximum number of spectators it would allow at games.
Ticket purchases, the movement of people in an out of stadiums, distance between people and whether personal hygiene could be maintained inside the stadiums are among the factors the league should consider, Chen Tsung-yen said.
The CPBL on April 12 became the first professional baseball league in the world to start its season this year, with games being played behind closed doors.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
The CPBL yesterday said it is hoping to allow spectators back into its stadiums as early as Friday.
To mark World Hand Hygiene Day, officials at the center used paint to demonstrate how people should wash their hands.
Since the pandemic began, health authorities have reiterated the importance of frequent hand washing to fight viruses.
Separately yesterday, 129 people — 114 Taiwanese and 15 foreign nationals — arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on a special China Airlines flight from Delhi after being stranded in India and Bangladesh because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Nine of the passengers had symptoms and were tested for COVID-19 at the airport, the center said, adding that the results were negative.
They were sent to quarantine facilities along with the other passengers, it said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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