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Taiwan to monitor arrivals from Singapore and Thailand for coronavirus

Authorities encourage doctors to do tests if the arrivals show COVID-19 symptoms

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Preparing forms for arriving travelers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. 

Preparing forms for arriving travelers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.  (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Travelers who have visited Singapore and Thailand within the previous 14 days will receive special attention for symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) such as fever and breathing problems, the health authorities announced Saturday (Feb. 15).

Doctors will be asked to look out for such cases and perform tests if necessary, as the number of cases in both countries is increasing, CNA reported.

Health insurance cards already show whether their owner visited China, Hong Kong, or Macau within the past 14 days, with Singapore and Thailand now added. The data storage system will soon be upgraded to extend its reach all the way to the past three months and to show whether the holder had traveled between China and Taiwan indirectly via other countries, the reports said.

Taiwan has so far confirmed 18 cases of the virus, while Thailand has more than 30 and Singapore more than 50.