TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in the southern county of Pingtung appears to have been contained, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Saturday (July 3).

The scare started when tests showed two people returning from Peru had been infected with the extremely contagious strain, raising anxiety about efforts to counter the pandemic. The government immediately launched a massive testing campaign targeting more than 14,000 people in the townships of Fangshan and Fangliao to find and isolate the virus.

CECC chief Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said Saturday that all contacts had been identified and that 12,000 people had tested negative for the virus, showing the communities should be safe. Nevertheless, testing will continue until July 11, CNA reported.

According to Chen, if any new cases arise, they would be among the 490 people already quarantined as contacts, so there was no reason for the public to worry. Of the 76 new COVID infections announced by the CECC Saturday, none were reported by Pingtung County.