The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported six locally transmitted COVID-19 infections, the lowest figure since a local outbreak started in May, and reiterated that there were no plans to adjust the nationwide COVID-19 alert next week.
Following a decrease in COVID-19 cases, the CECC on Tuesday last week lowered the COVID-19 alert to level 2 from level 3, which was imposed on May 19.
The center, which has been updating the alert level every two weeks, had said that the level 2 alert would be in effect until Monday next week.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Although there have been no significant changes in the domestic COVID-19 situation since restrictions were relaxed, one week of observation is not enough, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, told a daily news briefing in Taipei.
The plan is to maintain the level 2 alert after Monday next week if there were no major changes in the COVID-19 situation, he said.
However, the center is reviewing its industry-specific guidelines on COVID-19 prevention and would make minor adjustments, he said.
Of the domestic COVID-19 cases recorded yesterday, four were men and two were women, with an onset of symptoms between July 23 and Wednesday, the center said.
New Taipei City had four cases, while Taipei and Taoyuan recorded one case each, it said.
Two of the local cases have known sources of infection, three have unclear links with confirmed cases and one is under investigation, it said.
The center also reported five imported cases — four men and one woman who arrived from Nigeria, South Africa and the US between July 21 and Tuesday — and no deaths.
As of yesterday, Taiwan had recorded 15,753 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1,280 imported and 14,420 domestic cases, with 791 deaths, CECC data showed.
May 15 marked the first time the nation recorded more than 100 COVID-19 cases in a single day since the pandemic began.
Between May 11 and Tuesday, the CECC reported 14,522 confirmed cases, 13,001, or 89.5 percent, of whom had recovered, it said.
Asked whether the government plans to hold a parade for the nation’s Olympics team, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), the deputy head of the CECC, said that the Ministry of Education, which oversees the Sports Administration, had not reached a decision on the matter.
If a parade were to be held, disease prevention measures would be carried out according to the COVID-19 situation, he said.
As of yesterday, Taiwan had won 12 medals — two golds, four silver and six bronze — at the Tokyo 2020 Games, its best performance in Olympic history.
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