TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hospitalized patients across Taiwan should be tested for COVID-19, as three hospitals in Greater Taipei have seen fresh coronavirus outbreaks, medical experts warned.

Taipei City Hospital Heping Branch, New Taipei City Hospital Sanchung Branch, and Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei have reported new infections on patients and caregivers over the past week as the two northern cities entered Level 3 alert on Saturday (May 15).

The surge presents an unprecedented challenge for Taiwan, a scenario that warrants further action such as mandatory COVID screening for all admitted patients, cautioned Huang Li-min (黃立民), president of the Infectious Disease Society of Taiwan and superintendent of the NUT Children's Hospital.

The massive testing has been adopted at major hospitals in the two cities, but medical institutes in other municipalities should follow suit as a precaution, CNA quoted Huang as saying.

Meanwhile, the infectious disease doctor advised fast-tracked admission of coronavirus patients in dedicated pandemic hospitals to mitigate the impact on the treatment of people with other illnesses. Health and Welfare Deputy Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) has said the capital of Taiwan will put in place two dedicated COVID hospitals.

As Taiwan’s medical system has become strained due to the recent outbreaks, the Central Epidemic Command Center said COVID patients with mild symptoms, as well as those who have been hospitalized for more than 10 days, will be discharged and moved to centralized quarantine centers.