TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After news leaked that Taiwan would report more than 700 new COVID-19 cases Saturday (May 22), the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) explained that 400 of those cases were from the past week — thereby showing the number of new cases is actually going down.

At its daily news conference, the CECC announced 321 new domestic cases, including two deaths, and two imported cases. However, for the first time, it also retroactively distributed 400 previously unknown cases over the past week.

As a result, the new daily totals for May 17-21 rose to levels higher than the 321 cases announced Saturday, CNA reported. The worst day since the start of the pandemic was still May 17, with 406 local cases instead of the previously reported 333.

The most recent peak was on Thursday (May 20) with 360 local cases, falling to 349 for Friday (May 21), before reaching 321 on Saturday. This was the lowest number since the 245 for May 16, according to the CECC.

The latest figures showed the COVID outbreak had not “exploded,” said Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who also heads the CECC. He added there was no need to move the COVID alert up from Level 3 to Level 4, which would include area lockdowns where the situation is especially severe.

Chen also pointed out the highest proportion of positive virus tests, 6.3 percent, was reached on May 15 and has since gradually fallen to a level of between 2.2 and 2.9 percent. Nevertheless, caution was still needed, and residents should avoid unnecessary travel, wear masks outside, and maintain social distancing, the CECC chief advised.