TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday (Dec. 9) announced that two new cases of Wuhan coronavirus have been imported from Myanmar and Indonesia.
During his weekly press conference Wednesday afternoon, Minister of Health and Welfare and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced two imported coronavirus cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases in Taiwan to 721. The latest cases include a Burmese man and an Indonesian man, both of whom tested positive for the virus after completing their 14-day quarantine.
Chen said that Case No. 720 is a Burmese man in his 40s who came to Taiwan for work on Nov. 22. Prior to boarding the plane, the man provided proof of a negative COVID-19 test issued within three days of his flight.
After entering the country, he went directly to an epidemic prevention hotel to begin his quarantine. He has not reported experiencing any symptoms of the virus since then.
After his quarantine ended on Dec. 7, he took a special bus to another location to commence self-health monitoring. That same day, his labor broker arranged for him to undergo a coronavirus test, which he took at his own expense.
On Dec. 9, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and placed in a hospital isolation ward. The health department has identified a total of six persons who had come in contact with the man in the epidemic prevention vehicle and have been told to begin home isolation.
According to Chen, Case No. 721 is an Indonesian man in his 40s who came to Taiwan for work on Nov. 21. Prior to boarding a plane to Taiwan, he provided the negative results of a coronavirus test, which had been taken within three days before the flight.
Upon arrival in Taiwan, he was immediately transported to an epidemic prevention hotel to begin his quarantine. After his quarantine expired on Dec. 6, his company arranged for him to take a test for the coronavirus at his own expense.
On Dec. 9, he tested positive for COVID-19. The health department has listed one person who came into contact with the man and told the individual to begin home isolation.
Taiwan's CECC on Wednesday did not announce any new reports of people with suspected symptoms. Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 113,230 COVID-19 tests, with 111,291 coming back negative.
Out of the 720 confirmed cases, 628 were imported, 55 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," and is being treated as an unresolved case. Up until now, seven individuals have succumbed to the disease, while 585 have been released from hospital isolation, leaving 128 patients still undergoing treatment in Taiwan.
