Yesterday marked 200 consecutive days with no domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said, as it reported three new imported cases.
The latest domestic case recorded in the nation was on April 12.
Speaking at a news conference in Taipei, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, attributed the achievement to people’s cooperation with the center’s disease prevention measures, such as quarantine requirements and contact tracing, as well as the nation’s quick response.
Photo courtesy of Cheng Chia-chi via CNA
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to escalate in other countries, the risk of domestic infection remains, he said, urging people to wash their hands frequently and wear masks.
The center reported three new imported cases of COVID-19, arrivals from the Philippines, the US and Indonesia.
Case No. 552 is a Taiwanese man in his 30s who in December last year traveled to the Philippines for work, and on Oct. 14 began experiencing symptoms, including a cough, nasal congestion, a sore throat, diarrhea, limb pain and fatigue, the center said, adding that his symptoms improved after taking over-the-counter medication.
Upon arriving in Taiwan on Sunday, the man reported the symptoms and tested negative at the airport, it said.
On Monday, he again began experiencing a cough, and chest and limb pain, the center said, adding that he later developed pneumonia and tested positive for COVID-19.
Case No. 553 is a Taiwanese woman in her 60s who resides in the US and arrived in Taiwan on Monday, the center said.
Before leaving the US, the woman on Tuesday last week tested negative in a nucleic acid test, after on Oct. 15 dining with two friends who later tested positive.
She showed no symptoms before boarding the flight, but began experiencing a mild cough and a runny nose while on the plane, it said.
Upon arrival, she told authorities about her symptoms and that she had contact with two confirmed cases, and was administered a COVID-19 test, it said.
Case No. 554 is an Indonesian woman in her 20s who arrived in Taiwan for work on Oct. 15, the center said.
She was on Wednesday administered a COVID-19 test while staying at a centralized quarantine facility, it said, adding that as of yesterday, she was asymptomatic.
Thirty-six flight passengers and crew members have been identified as contacts of Case No. 552, and 16 have been listed as contacts of Case No. 553, the center said.
No contacts were listed for Case No. 554, as she had no symptoms before starting her quarantine, it said.
Among the nation’s confirmed cases, seven have died and 33 remain hospitalized, center data showed.
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