The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported two imported cases of COVID-19 infection — Taiwanese women who returned from Japan and the US.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), the CECC’s spokesman, said that case No. 602 is in her 40s, permanently lives in Japan and last departed Taiwan in February.
She developed nasal congestion, a headache, nausea and a runny nose, and lost her sense of smell and taste earlier this month, but took medicine on her own to relieve the symptoms and did not seek medical attention, Chuang said, adding that she and two family members returned to Taiwan on Thursday.
The woman reported her symptoms at the airport, was tested for COVID-19 and placed in a centralized quarantine facility, he said, adding that her test came back positive yesterday.
Case No. 603 permanently lives in the US and last departed Taiwan in August, Chuang said.
She returned to Taiwan with a family member on Friday, he said.
She told the airport quarantine officers that she suspected losing her sense of smell and taste during the flight, so she was tested for COVID-19 at the airport and placed at a centralized quarantine facility, Chuang said.
Her test also came back positive yesterday, he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, was asked by reporters about case No. 599, reported on Saturday, who tested positive in her third test after her quarantine ended and was informed about the result while she was taking a high-speed train to her hometown.
The tests were conducted according to procedure, but as SARS-CoV-2 might continue to mutate, the test kits might need to be improved, Chen said.
There might be similar cases in which a subject tests negative and positive in examinations, so the center would consult with specialists how to respond, he said.
It has discussed the autumn-winter prevention program with local governments, and the measures would be stricter, he added, adding that details would not be announced until Wednesday.
Regarding the Chinese health authorities’ announcement that live virus samples have been detected on packaging of imported frozen food, Chen said that the center would ask the Food and Drug Administration to conduct random inspections on frozen food products imported from China.
The WHO in April said that “it is highly unlikely that people can contract COVID-19 from food or food packaging,” and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August said that “currently, there is no evidence to suggest that handling food or consuming food is associated with COVID-19.”
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