Medical experts are calling for life sciences graduates to help with COVID-19 testing to bolster response measures if a second wave of the disease arrives.
Citing a study by researchers in China, the experts said there might be as many asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — as people confirmed to be infected.
Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), who is an epidemiologist, said he does not think it is necessary to test people from all walks of life, but those whose work puts them in frequent contact with others would be a useful group to sample.
Shih Shin-ru (施信如), head of Chang Gung University’s Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, said that the roughly 30,000 tests administered in Taiwan were conducted on samples from people suspected of carrying the virus.
However, as one case of locally transmitted infection demonstrated, there is a need to expand testing, Shih said.
The person was a Taiwanese with no recent travel history who showed no symptoms for the month after they were estimated to have become infected, she said.
It is possible that many more people have been infected than have been tested, she said, adding that waiting for major symptoms before testing creates loopholes.
People admitted to emergency rooms with breathing problems should also be tested, she said.
“Taiwan staved off the first wave of infections before the Lunar New Year, but now there are infected people returning to Taiwan from abroad,” Chen said.
Many are worried that even those who test negative for the virus or show no symptoms might have been carriers and so there are infected people in communities who are asymptomatic or have only light symptoms, he said.
Convenience store workers, taxi drivers, medical care professionals and others who frequently come into contact with the public would be good candidates, he said.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is spokesman for the Central Epidemic Command Center, said that up to 3,800 people could be tested daily, which is sufficient for current needs, with roughly 500 tests being conducted daily.
Huang Kao-pin (黃高彬), director of pediatric infectious disease at Kaohsiung’s Chang Gung Medical Foundation, said that as the situation in Taiwan has not reached the epidemic proportions seen in the US and Europe, there is no need to test everyone who returns from abroad.
Doing so would waste resources and result in complaints, Huang said.
Additional reporting by Lin Hui-chin, Chien Hui-ju and Su Yung-yao
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
Taipei and Kaohsiung have extended an open invitation to Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki after Chinese authorities abruptly canceled her scheduled concert in Shanghai. Hamasaki, 47, had been slated to perform on Saturday before organizers pulled the show at the last minute, citing “force majeure,” a move widely viewed as retaliation for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a military response from Tokyo. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said the city “very much welcomes” Hamasaki’s return and would continue to “surprise” her. Hamasaki, who has a large global fan base, including
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
VIGILANT: Enterovirus activity remains in the epidemic phase, with the CDC urging caregivers of infected children to be on the lookout for signs of severe illness Influenza activity is rising in neighboring countries, and, with temperatures forecast to drop this week, flu cases are expected to increase in the next two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Hospitals reported 87,162 visits for flu-like illnesses between Nov. 23 and Saturday, which remained about the same level as the previous week, but nine deaths and 24 cases with serious flu complications were also confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. Flu activity reached a peak in late September before declining for eight consecutive weeks, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠)
RSS