TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Following Saturday's (April 18) news that three Taiwanese navy trainees had been confirmed with Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that all military personnel in the country will be required to wear face masks for the entire day, starting immediately.

During the daily press conference for Taiwan's coronavirus update Saturday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the three imported cases were trainees on the country's navy vessels. Since the new patients had spent time on board three different ships, more than 700 crew and trainees who were believed to have had contact with them have been placed under quarantine and will be tested for the virus.

In an effort to preserve the country's defense capability and minimize coronavirus clusters inside military bases, the MND spokesman Shih Shun-wen (史順文) said all military personnel have been ordered to leave their masks on throughout the day. He added that the members will have their temperatures taken once in the morning and once in the evening.

The MND also pointed out that the government has started distributing a daily requirement of 189,000 medical masks to all armed forces since Saturday, and each service member will receive one mask per day. The ministry said it will continue to implement social-distancing rule in the camps and has requested troops keep their environments clean, reported CNA.