Taiwan yesterday recorded one new imported case of COVID-19 involving an Indonesian who arrived in the nation last month to work on a fishing boat, the Central Epidemic Command Center said.
The Indonesian male, in his 20s, arrived in Taiwan on Dec. 31 with a negative test report, center spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at a news conference in Taipei.
He did not display any symptoms of the disease, Chuang said.
Photo: CNA
The man was tested again on Wednesday prior to his release from a 14-day mandatory quarantine and the result came back positive yesterday, he said.
Due to the high CT value of the test, which indicated the presence of only a small amount of viral genetic material and that the infection had likely run its course, the man was most likely infected a while ago in Indonesia, he added.
No contact tracing was required, as the man had not come in contact with anyone during his time in Taiwan, Chuang said.
Meanwhile, a new disease prevention regulation took effect yesterday whereby a home can only be used for quarantine if the person stays at the property on their own.
Previously people arriving in Taiwan could quarantine at a residence along with other people.
The tighter measure was introduced in response to the emergence of new more contagious variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, the center said, adding those found to have a breached the regulation would be fined NT$100,000 to NT$1 million (US$3,511 and US$35,112).
The center has also updated its disease prevention guidelines to provide more clarity on the rules ahead of the Lunar New Year, as Taiwanese living overseas in areas where COVID-19 is more prevalent prepare to return home for the holiday.
The latest update specifically addresses questions people might have about “self-health management,” a period of seven days during which arrivals to Taiwan must monitor their health after completing their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
People are required to wear a surgical mask at all times, take their temperature twice a day and avoid visits to public places, the center said.
They are also prohibited from partaking in group lunches or dinners, as such events require the removal of a mask while consuming food and beverages, it said.
They can visit supermarkets or convenience stories as long as they wear a mask throughout, but they should not visit crowded shopping malls where 1m social distancing is not possible, the center said.
Those who breach the regulations face up a fine of up to NT$300,000 under the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法), it said.
Taiwan has recorded 843 cases of COVID-19, with 746 classified as imported. Of those cases, 741 have recovered, 95 remain in the hospital and seven have died, center data showed.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS