As the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak continues, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday issued an emergency warning to passengers who had taken two Air China flights, urging them to contact the health authorities immediately if they show any symptoms of SARS, Chinese-language media reported yesterday.
According to the DOH's warning, those who boarded Air China's CA112 flight from Hong Kong to Beijing on March 15 -- as well as those who boarded Air China's CA115 flight from Beijing to Hong Kong on March 19 -- should contact the health authorities at 0800-024582 if they show any symptoms of pneumonia.
Chen Tsai-ching (
According to Chen, the tourists were infected by a 73-year-old Chinese man who was also on the CA112 plane on March 15. The elderly man from Beijing reportedly visited a friend at the Prince of Wales Hospital during his stay in Hong Kong.
Nine of the 35 tourists later started to show symptoms of SARS -- an atypical form of pneumonia. The tourists returned to Hong Kong last Wednesday.
Chen also said that the DOH does not really know how many Taiwanese passengers were on those two flights, because Air China did not publish the passenger lists of the flights.
He urged those who boarded the two flights to contact the DOH immediately if they start to show evidence of a cough or fever.
The Central News Agency reported yesterday that five Taiwanese people who boarded the CA112 plane are currently being kept in the isolation ward of National Taiwan University Hospital after showing symptoms which could indicate SARS.
In related news, a Taipei resident, Ho Kuo-lung (
The younger Ho said that his brother suffered from a serious headache but had not shown any SARS symptoms.
China Airlines insisted that Ho needs to first get approval from a doctor in order to board the plane, and that -- according to the WHO regulations -- the company had to prevent him from boarding.
As of Monday, Taiwan had 28 suspected cases of SARS, with six of them being called "probable."
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS