TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Irishman who suddenly collapsed and died on a street in Taipei City on Saturday night (June 26) has been diagnosed with COVID-19, while the five police officers who came in contact with him have entered quarantine.
At about 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, a 58-year-old Irishman was seen walking along the sidewalk wearing a black T-shirt and shorts near the intersection of Kangding Road and Neijing Street in the Ximending area of Taipei's Wanhua District. He wandered off the sidewalk in an apparent effort to cross the street.
He then began to stagger and seemed to try to run back to the sidewalk, before suddenly collapsing and lying motionless on the street. Bystanders who witnessed the man fall called 119 and when officers arrived at the scene, they found that he was not breathing and had no pulse.
A police officer identified by the surname Lo (羅) called for an ambulance and followed paramedic instructions on implementing CPR as they waited for the arrival of the rescue vehicle, reported SET News. When paramedics arrived on the scene, they quickly rushed him to the National Taiwan University Hospital.
Man seen staggering in the middle of the road. (Taipei City Police Department photo)
Despite efforts by paramedics to resuscitate the man, he died before they were able to reach the hospital. Once at the hospital, a PCR test was administered on the deceased man and he was diagnosed with COVID-19 at 9 p.m. that evening.
After receiving notice the man had been diagnosed with COVID-19, Ximending Police Station immediately sent the four officers who tended to the man into quarantine. The station and surrounding area were disinfected and the remaining 26 police officers from the station are now undergoing self-health monitoring.
According to the police station, the four officers received a first round of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in late May. Before returning to the station, the four had taken steps to disinfect themselves to prevent the spread of the virus.
The deceased man reportedly had a history of hypertension and obesity. He had been living in Taiwan for at least six years, resided with his girlfriend, and had not recently traveled abroad.
The cause of the man's death is not yet known and an investigation will be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.
Man collapsed in the middle of the road. (Taipei City Police Department photo)