There were four new imported cases of COVID-19 yesterday, three Taiwanese students who returned from European nations and a Philippine student, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is CECC spokesman, said that case No. 565 is a Taiwanese in his 20s who went to study in France in August, but began experiencing symptoms, including a sore throat, runny nose and cough, in the middle of last month, and loss of smell on Friday last week.
The man said that he tested negative in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests at his school in France on Sept. 20, Oct. 8, Oct. 15 and Oct. 19.
Photo: CNA
He reported his symptoms upon arrival at the airport on Sunday and stayed at a centralized quarantine facility after receiving a test.
As the man tested positive for COVID-19, two classmates who took the same vehicle to the airport in France have been placed in home isolation. One had claimed to be suffering symptoms upon arrival, but tested negative, Chuang said.
Case No. 566 is a Taiwanese student in her 20s who traveled to the UK in August and began experiencing a congested nose on Thursday last week, he said, adding that she reported her symptoms when she arrived in Taiwan on Sunday and was also quarantined at a centralized facility after testing positive for COVID-19.
An individual who accompanied her had reported having an itchy throat at the airport, but tested negative and has been placed in home isolation, as well as 12 passengers who sat near the student on the flight, Chuang said, adding that four transit passengers who came into contact with her would be notified by the CECC.
Case No. 567 is a Taiwanese teenager who went to study in Germany last month, but began experiencing a runny nose on Saturday and went home to quarantine after returning to Taiwan on Sunday, he said.
The teenager developed muscle pain, a headache and runny nose while at home, and the local health department arranged for him to get tested, Chuang said, adding that the result was confirmed positive yesterday.
Thirteen passengers who sat close to him on the flight to Taiwan have been placed in home isolation, he said.
Case No. 568 is a teenage Philippine student, who traveled to Taiwan on Oct. 20 and had provided a negative PCR test result before boarding the flight, Chuang said.
Six passengers who sat close to her on the flight had been in centralized quarantine facilities and they all tested negative when their quarantine period ended, he added.
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