HEALTH
Imported case confirmed
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported one new imported case of COVID-19, bringing the nation’s total to 1,073 cases. The case is a Malaysian man in his 40s who arrived in Taiwan for work on Thursday, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, told a news briefing. Upon his arrival in Taiwan, the man was found to have a fever of 38.5°C and was immediately sent to a hospital, where he underwent a COVID-19 test. The test came back positive on Sunday, Chuang said. Among the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the nation, 957 have been classified as imported. Of the total, 1,033 have recovered, 11 have died and 29 are in hospital, CECC data showed yesterday.
GOVERNMENT
Cabinet hires ex-spokesman
The Executive Yuan yesterday said that its former spokesman Ting Yi-ming (丁怡銘) has been hired as a paid consultant by the Cabinet. Ting resigned as spokesman in November last year after falsely claiming that an award-winning beef noodle soup restaurant served meat containing ractopamine residues. Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) yesterday said Ting has expertise in policy research and advocacy, and abundant experience working with local and central governments, so he should be competent in offering advice to Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on policy research and communications. Regarding criticism that hiring Ting goes against the civil service promotion system, Lo said the Executive Yuan has always recruited consultants as “confidential officers” or “senior civil servants,” adding that the former come and go with the premier, so they do not block civil servants’ promotions.
HEALTHCARE
Lai announces new program
The government is to invest NT$2.8 billion (US$98.80 million) in a medical care promotion program from this year to 2024 to provide better healthcare services for children, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai elaborated on the government’s efforts to improve the quality of healthcare for children in a pre-recorded speech delivered during an award ceremony to honor people who have contributed to healthcare for children. The program aims to reduce child mortality rates, and prevent and reduce disease and disability in children, Lai said. The program would include a stratified appointment system, in which patients with minor symptoms would be directed to small clinics, while those with serious illnesses would be directed to major hospitals, he said. It would also include a two-way referral system between hospitals and community health centers to use medical resources more efficiently, he added.
TOURISM
Carriers apply for ‘bubble’
Two more airlines have expressed an interest in entering the Taiwan-Palau travel market, despite weak demand for flights under a “travel bubble” established between the two countries, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said on Saturday. Palau Express has applied with the CAA to operate an agency to handle its business in Taiwan, the regulator said. However, the airline would still need permission from Palauan authorities to operate under the “travel bubble,” it said, adding that it has not heard from its Palauan counterpart of any such arrangement. Taipei-based StarLux Airlines has applied for rights to operate on the route, the CAA said.
US President Donald Trump said "it’s up to" Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) what China does on Taiwan, but that he would be "very unhappy" with a change in the "status quo," the New York Times said in an interview published yesterday. Xi "considers it to be a part of China, and that’s up to him what he’s going to be doing," Trump told the newspaper on Wednesday. "But I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that," he added. "I hope he doesn’t do that." Trump made the comments in
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
A cold surge advisory was today issued for 18 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures of below 10°C forecast during the day and into tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yilan counties are expected to experience sustained temperatures of 10°C or lower, the CWA said. Temperatures are likely to temporarily drop below 10°C in most other areas, except Taitung, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, CWA data showed. The cold weather is being caused by a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, a process in which heat escapes from
Snow this morning fell on Alishan for the first time in seven years, as a strong continental cold air mass sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The Alishan weather station, located at an elevation of about 2,200m in central Taiwan, recorded snowfall from 8:55am to 9:15am, when the temperature dropped to about 1°C, the CWA said. With increased moisture and low temperatures in the high-altitude Alishan area, the conditions were favorable for snow, CWA forecaster Tsai Yi-chi (蔡伊其) said. The last time snow fell at the Alishan weather station was on Jan. 10, 2018, while graupel fell there
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