The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19 — marking the 10th consecutive day without a new case — and said that exports of masks might be permitted before the end of next month.
Four people among the 36 Taiwanese who returned from the Maldives on Saturday were tested for COVID-19 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after they reported symptoms in the past 14 days, but the test results were negative, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said at the center’s daily press briefing.
None of the 129 Taiwanese who returned from India on a chartered flight on May 5 have been hospitalized for treatment, he said.
Photo: Yu Chao-fu, Taipei Times
Asked when the policy of requiring a National Health Insurance (NHI) card or Alien Resident Certificate to purchase masks or the ban on mask exports would be relaxed, Chen said the restrictions on purchases would continue, but the re-opening of exports would be earlier than late next month.
Over the past two days the center has been reviewing the supply of masks following the April 8 launch of a policy allowing adults to purchase nine masks per 14 days, to see if the supply has met demand and if there is a sufficient amount for the national medical stockpile, Chen said.
“We have amassed more than 100 million masks for the national medical stockpile, which should be enough, so we are certainly going to reopen mask exports, hopefully as soon as possible,” he said.
The center would continue to discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance, “but we will not have to wait until late June,” he added.
Asked about Chinese pulmonologist Zhong Nanshan’s (鍾南山) comment that a second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks might occur in China, Chen said China has a vast territory and abundant resources, so it is difficult to get accurate information immediately, and the CECC remains vigilant and fully prepared to meet any challenges from China.
Meanwhile, Chen said the Taipei and Kaohsiung city governments have asked if businesses in the “eight major special establishment categories” — which include karaoke bars, saunas, massage parlors and hostess bars — are required to implement a real-name registration system for their customers.
“We are not enforcing a compulsory real-name registration system for all businesses,” Chen said. “It is acceptable if they can make sure that they are able to immediately contact their customers [if a COVID-19 case is confirmed].”
Kaohsiung authorities have asked the CECC to set a timeframe for reopening hostess bars and dance halls, but its answer remains the same — local governments can reopen such businesses if they ensure the firms observe the “new disease prevention lifestyle” guidelines, he said.
The guidelines include performing social distancing, arranging distanced seating or division boards, practicing personal hygiene and protective measures, wearing a mask, measuring temperatures, providing hand sanitizers at the entrance, and ensuring customers can be contacted, he said.
A hostess dance club in Tainan reopened on Saturday, the first in the six special municipalities to do so since such businesses were closed on April 9.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said the city issued a business resumption permit to the Wan Hsiang Dance Club (萬象舞廳) on Friday after the club passed a government inspection.
Tainan City Government officials said the club’s owner promised to implement the center’s epidemic prevention guidelines and to record the names and identification card numbers of customers.
Customers also have to dance alone, as dancing with a partner would be prohibited, the club said.
Additional reporting by CNA
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) fraud conviction and prison sentence were yesterday overturned by a Hong Kong court, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge. Judges Jeremy Poon (潘兆初), Anthea Pang (彭寶琴) and Derek Pang (彭偉昌) said in the judgement that they allowed the appeal from Lai, and another defendant in the case, to proceed, as a lower court judge had “erred.” “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences,” the judges
RSS