TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday (Oct.19) announced five new imported cases of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) from France, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Russia.
During a press conference on Monday, CECC Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) announced five imported coronavirus infections, raising the total number of cases in Taiwan to 540. The latest cases include two Taiwanese citizens, a Filipino man, an Indonesian woman, and a Russian woman.
Case No. 536 is a Taiwanese man in his 20s who worked in France for an extended period of time, with his most recent departure from Taiwan being August of last year. Upon returning to Taiwan on Oct. 11, he proactively informed quarantine officers that he had begun to experience a sore throat on Oct. 9.
However, an initial test administered on the man yielded a negative result. From Oct. 12 to 13, while undergoing home quarantine, he began to suffer a cough, diarrhea, general fatigue, and shortness of breath.
The health department arranged for him to undergo another test for the coronavirus on Oct. 16. He was diagnosed with the disease on Oct. 19 and was placed in a hospital isolation ward.
Having initiated contact tracing, the health department has identified a total of six passengers who sat directly in front of and behind Case No. 536 on the same flight to Taiwan. They have been asked to undergo home isolation, while the crew members of the flight have been advised to commence self-health monitoring.
Case No. 537 is a Taiwanese male in his 40s who has been working in the Philippines for an extended period of time, returning to Taiwan once every one or two months. On Oct. 4, he returned to Taiwan to begin a vacation and has been asymptomatic throughout his stay.
On Oct. 17, as his quarantine period was nearing its end, he was tested for the virus. On Oct. 19, he was confirmed to have COVID-19 and was placed in a hospital isolation ward.
The health department has identified a total of eight people who came in contact with the man while riding in the same epidemic prevention bus. They have all been asked to begin self-health monitoring.
Case No. 538 is a Filipino man in his 30s who entered Taiwan on Oct. 4 for work and has not exhibited any symptoms of the disease thus far. Before the expiration of his quarantine, he was tested on Oct. 17 for the virus.
He was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Oct. 19 and placed in a hospital isolation ward. The health department has yet to list any persons who came in contact with the patient.
According to the CECC, Case No. 539 is an Indonesian woman in her teens. She arrived in Taiwan Oct. 3 to begin her studies in the country and has been asymptomatic throughout her stay.
As her quarantine was nearing its end, her school arranged for her to undergo a coronavirus test on Oct. 18. She tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 19 and was placed in a hospital isolation ward.
The health department has identified 53 persons who came in contact with Case No. 539, including 49 passengers on her flight to Taiwan, one epidemic prevention taxi driver, and three passengers in the vehicle. Among those who were in the same vehicle, one has been told to undergo home isolation, while the rest have been asked to start self-health monitoring.
Case No. 540 is a Russian woman in her teens who entered Taiwan on Oct. 9 to begin a study program in the country. Prior to entering the country, she took a test for the coronavirus at her own expense and received a negative result on Oct. 7.
On Oct. 16, while undergoing quarantine, she began to experience a loss of the sense of taste. On Oct. 17, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and placed in a hospital isolation ward.
The health department has identified five persons who came in contact with Case No. 540, including one classmate, an epidemic prevention taxi driver, and three quarantine hotel staff members. They have all been asked to begin self-health monitoring, while another person is being investigated as a possible contact.
The CECC on Monday did not announce any new reports of people with suspected symptoms. Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 99,051 COVID-19 tests, with 97,893 coming back negative.
Out of the 540 confirmed cases, 448 were imported, 55 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," and one is an unresolved case. Up until now, seven individuals have succumbed to the disease, while 493 have been released from hospital isolation, leaving 40 patients still undergoing treatment in Taiwan.
