The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported six local and three imported COVID-19 infections.
Among the local cases, three were reported in New Taipei City, two in Taipei and one in Changhua County, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, told the center’s daily news briefing in Taipei.
The three imported cases are two men and one woman, aged in their 20s to 40s, who arrived from Romania, Bangladesh and the UK between Aug. 6 and Tuesday, CECC data showed.
Photo courtesy of the Central Epidemic Command Center
The center also reported one death, a man in his 60s who tested positive on July 17 and died on Wednesday.
Of the 51 imported cases reported from Friday last week to Thursday, genome sequencing results are available for 12 cases, the center said.
All 12 had the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, with cycle threshold values between 17 and 26, said Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), who is deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Among them, seven cases had received two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine, while another case had received one shot, Lo said.
Three of the cases are “breakthrough infections,” as they received two shots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days ahead of testing positive, he said.
As of yesterday, Taiwan had recorded 67 cases of the Delta variant, 54 imported and 13 local, he said, adding that the local cases were linked to a cluster in Pingtung County.
Since July 2, the CECC has conducted genome sequencing for 164 local cases, who all had the Alpha variant, Lo said.
As of 10am yesterday, 39.49 percent of Taiwan’s 23.5 million residents had received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 745,301 people had received two shots, CECC data showed.
Most experts are of the opinion that increasing the first-dose vaccination coverage is most important at this stage, Chen said.
Some experts have suggested that the center reserve Moderna doses for second-dose vaccination of high-risk groups, instead of for government officials in vaccination priority group 2.
Chen appeared reserved about the suggestion.
About 1,700 central government officials and 20,000 local government officials had received a first shot of the Moderna vaccine, which has a limited effect on the nation’s vaccine stock, Chen said, adding that officials in group 2 are crucial to maintaining operations of key infrastructure.
CECC data showed that 751,195 people had booked vaccinations with the domestically made Medigen COVID-19 vaccine, which are to start on Monday next week.
Meanwhile, the CECC yesterday called on people not to break the law, saying that two centralized quarantine facilities have caught deliveries of drugs concealed in personal items sent to quarantined people.
The facilities are in Taipei’s Yangmingshan (陽明山) area and New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), Chen said.
Cigarettes, alcohol, lighters and matches were also among the banned articles seized at the facilities, he added.
All items sent to people in quarantine facilities have to undergo strict checks, Chen said.
CECC medical response division deputy head Victor Wang (王必勝) wrote on Facebook that some people had complained about strict management at the facilities, such as baggage and package checks, and bans on smoking and drinking alcohol.
However, the measures are necessary given that the facilities accommodate people from different backgrounds and have to maintain public order.
He said he hopes that quarantined people understand the rules and cooperate with the facilities.
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