The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 57 new local cases of COVID-19, and 15 deaths, while outlining its plans to curb infections linked to Taipei’s Huannan Market (環南市場).
Among the local cases, Taipei reported 29, followed by New Taipei City with 15, while Hsinchu County reported four cases, Taoyuan and Keelung three each, Taichung two and Hsinchu City one, the center said.
The 15 deaths were eight men and seven women in their 40s to 80s, all of whom had a history of chronic illness, except a woman in her 40s, the center said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
More local COVID-19 cases have been reported in Taipei after the city government on Thursday started performing large-scale polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at Huannan Market in Wanhua District (萬華), Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, told a daily news briefing.
At least 41 infections were identified through the testing, but they were “not yet” included in yesterday’s figures, Chen said, adding that more investigation was required to clarify the precise scope of the outbreak.
The market’s operations would be suspended for three days, he said, calling on vendors and employees to avoid travel and await instructions from health authorities.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
A virus testing station would be set up at the market to accelerate screening, Chen said, adding that he had visited the site alongside Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) in the morning.
The CECC and the Taipei City Government have established a joint command mission, which is headed by Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission Director Victor Wang (王必勝), who is the center’s medical response division deputy head, Chen said.
Taipei was required to complete a footprint investigation of confirmed cases reported from the market by 5pm yesterday, Chen said, adding that the city would today have to isolate all the contacts of the confirmed cases, while arranging virus tests for the contacts.
People who had visited the market or the neighborhood it is in would receive a text message urging them to be tested if they showed symptoms of COVID-19, he added.
The neighborhood is demarcated as a block bordered by Wanban Bridge (萬板大橋) and Huatsui Bridge (華翠大橋) — both connecting Wanhua and New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋) — as well as an expressway along the Sindian River (新店溪), the CECC said.
As of 6:30pm yesterday, more than 80,000 text messages had been sent to people who had visited the area after June 8, the center said.
Asked about Ko’s strategy of using rapid tests kits before administering PCR tests, Chen said that having a quick response is crucial and that PCR tests would be more efficient.
It is difficult to determine if any virus response strategy is absolutely correct or wrong, Chen said.
Chen said that no new cases have been reported in Pingtung County, where as of Thursday there had been 15 cases recorded caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.
Japan has deployed long-range missiles in a southwestern region near China, the Japanese defense minister said yesterday, at a time when ties with Beijing are at their lowest in recent years. The missiles were installed in Kumamoto in the southern region of Kyushu, as Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China steps up naval activity in the East China Sea. “Standoff defense capabilities enable us to counter the threat of enemy forces attempting to invade our country ... while ensuring the safety of our personnel,” Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi said. “This is an extremely important initiative for
MORE POPULAR: Taiwan Pass sales increased by 59 percent during the first quarter compared with the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said The Tourism Administration yesterday said that it has streamlined the Taiwan Pass, with two versions available for purchase beginning today. The tourism agency has made the pass available to international tourists since 2024, allowing them to access the high-speed rail, Taiwan Railway Corp services, four MRT systems and four Taiwan Tourist Shuttles. Previously, five types of Taiwan Pass were available, but some tourists have said that the offerings were too complicated. The agency said only two types of Taiwan Pass would be available, starting from a three-day pass with the high-speed rail and a three-day pass with Taiwan Railway Corp. The former costs NT$2,800
POLLS CONCERNS: There are concerns within the KMT that a Cheng Li-wun-Xi Jinping meeting could trigger a voter backlash in elections in November Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to visit next month, her party and Chinese state media reported yesterday. Cheng, who took up her role in November last year, “gladly accepted” the invitation to lead a delegation to China, the KMT said in a statement, confirming a Xinhua news agency report. Cheng “looks forward to joint efforts by both parties to advance the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, and work for peace in the Taiwan Strait and greater well-being for people on both sides,” the statement said. Chinese
SIGNIFICANT TO THE WORLD: The delegation’s visit aims to send a clear message that bipartisan support for Taiwan is consistent, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen said The US Senate’s bipartisan support for Taiwan remains strong and Taiwan-US ties would continue for decades to come, a US Senate delegation said in Taipei yesterday, while calling on the legislature to swiftly pass a special defense budget bill. A US delegation led by Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican US Senator John Curtis — both members of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a two-day visit. The other senators of the delegation included Senate Taiwan Caucus cochair Thom Tillis and Senate Committee on Armed Services senior member Jacky Rosen. Shaheen told a news
RSS