The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19, and said that it is considering revising the discharge criteria for confirmed COVID-19 cases from three consecutive negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to two.
Yesterday marked the ninth consecutive day of no new COVID-19 cases in Taiwan and the 59th consecutive day of no locally transmitted cases.
Although only five infected people are still hospitalized — with 431 infected patients having been discharged after recovering — the global coronavirus situation remains serious, so people must continue to practice the “new disease prevention lifestyle,” said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
“However, we have found that more people are letting down their guard and not wearing a mask at hospitals,” Chen said. “We urge people to absolutely wear a mask at hospitals, as recent statistics show that habitually wearing a mask and performing personal protective measures significantly reduces the number of flu and enterovirus infections.”
CECC advisory specialist panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said that based on international studies and observation of confirmed cases in Taiwan, the panel has come to a consensus that the discharge criteria for confirmed COVID-19 cases can be revised from three to two consecutive negative PCR tests, the same as in other countries.
While many of the more than 400 confirmed patients in Taiwan showed “sometimes positive and sometimes negative” test results toward the end of the infection, the viral loads of the collected specimens were very low and the virus could not be grown from them, he said.
The panel has submitted its recommendation and now the center would decide whether to adopt it, he added.
Asked about a claim made by the National Union of Chinese Medical Doctors’ Association yesterday that Chinese herbal medicine is an effective treatment for relieving symptoms of COVID-19 patients, Chang said that some cases were brought before the panel, but it did not have enough scientific evidence to draw a conclusion.
Scientific experiments typically need an experimental group and a control group, as well as a large pool of cases, so Chinese herbal medicine has so far not been added to the COVID-19 treatment guidelines, he said.
Chen was asked about Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s remark reported by national broadcaster Vietnam Television on Tuesday that Vietnam is considering resuming commercial flights to countries that have had no cases of COVID-19 for 30 days, with priority destinations possibly including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Cambodia.
“There are some countries that are negotiating the possibility of resuming international travel with us now — and the news from Vietnam is fairly accurate,” he said.
“The exact schedule is still being discussed,” he added.
Regarding resuming international flights from local airports, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) said that the issue of passenger volumes has been discussed with an airport company, the Civil Aeronautics Administration and two airlines, and a plan is expected this week, which would then be submitted for the center’s approval.
Chen Tsung-yen also announced that Olympic table tennis player Chiang Hung-chieh (江宏傑) would serve as the center’s new disease prevention ambassador, helping it to promote the “new disease prevention lifestyle.”
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS