The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported four new imported cases of COVID-19 — travelers from Eswatini, Germany, the US and the UK — bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Taiwan to 812.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, said all four cases had provided a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result from within three days of boarding a flight to Taiwan.
One is a Taiwanese woman in her 20s who traveled to the UK for study in August last year, he said, adding that she developed an itchy throat before boarding the plane on Wednesday and arrived on Thursday.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
She reported her condition to a quarantine officer, Chuang said.
She was tested at the airport and again after developing a fever while awaiting the test result at a centralized quarantine facility, he said, adding that both tests came back positive yesterday.
Fourteen passengers who sat close to her on the flight to Taiwan have been placed under home isolation, he added.
Another patient is a Taiwanese woman in her 20s who has studied in Germany since September and returned home on Monday last week, Chuang said.
On Thursday, she developed a sore throat while quarantining at home, he said.
She was tested for COVID-19 on Friday and the result came back positive yesterday, he added.
The third case is a Taiwanese man in his 60s who traveled to the US in October to visit his family and returned on Dec. 27, Chuang said, adding that the man began experiencing muscle soreness, a fever and a cough from Tuesday to Thursday.
He was tested on Friday, and the result came back positive yesterday, so seven passengers who sat close to him on the flight to Taiwan have been put under home isolation, Chuang said.
The last case is a Swazi man in his 30s who came to Taiwan for work on Dec. 24, he said.
He stayed in a housing unit designated for quarantine, where he developed a headache, a runny nose and nasal congestion on Thursday, Chuang said.
He was tested on Friday, and the result came back positive yesterday, he said, adding that a friend of the man who accompanied him to Taiwan was also tested for COVID-19.
Separately, asked about concerns that colorful masks might contain carcinogenic azo dyes, Chuang said the dyes are used in non-medical-grade masks, whose quality inspection, labeling and sales are overseen by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection.
According to the Chinese National Standard 15290, only 22 types of azo dyes may be used in masks, and the bureau is planning to inspect masks sold in brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers, he said.
Establishments selling products containing illegal azo dyes could face a fine up to NT$1.5 million (US$52,617) for contravening the Consumer Protection Act (消費者保護法), he said.
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