TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei's health department from Tuesday through Thursday (Aug. 17-19) revealed that seven recently confirmed COVID cases had traveled on four of the city's major MRT lines from Aug. 12-16.
On Tuesday, the Taipei City Department of Health announced that case Nos. 15,967, 15,969, 15,970, and 15,971 had taken the MRT Red Line, Orange Line, Brown Line, and Blue Line from Aug. 12-14. The stations affected encompass a staggering 33 stations, such as Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Songshan Airport, Ximen, Technology Building, Liuzhangli, Nanjing Fuxing, and Minquan West Road, just to name a few.
The health department on Wednesday announced that case No. 15,978 had taken the Brown Line from Gangqian Station to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, where they switched to the Blue Line to travel to Longshan Temple Station from 7:40 pm. to 8:18 p.m. on Aug. 13.
On Thursday, the city announced the movements of case Nos. 15,991, 15,992, and 16,001, which had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on Aug. 17. They were found to have taken buses and the Taipei MRT, including stations such as Xiangshan, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and Da'an on the Red Line; Wanfang Hospital and Technology Building on the Brown Line; and Taipower Building Station on the Green Line between Aug. 11-16.
During this period, they also visited Shezi Elementary School, a restaurant in Wenshan District, Nangang Park, and Yucheng Park. On Aug. 16, one of them took the No. 682 bus from Shexinli to Shipai Elementary School and back.
The firm that operates the MRT, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), stated that tracing of the cases' movements has been completed and operations of the stations and lines are to continue as usual. The company has responded to the cases by increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting stations from once every four hours to once every two hours.
It has also increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting trains from once every eight hours to once every four hours. Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration and the 33rd Chemical Warfare Group are managing the cleaning and disinfection of these facilities.
The TRTC reminds passengers to wear masks at all times from the moment they enter MRT stations, as well as underground shopping areas connected to them. Passengers who violate the mask regulation will face fines of between NT$3,000 (US$107) and NT$15,000.
Routes taken by case Nos. 15,967, 15,969, 15,970, and 15,971 from Aug. 12-14. (Taipei City Government image)
Movements of case No. 15,978 on Aug. 13. (Taipei City Government image)
Routes taken by case Nos. 15,991, 15,992, and 16,001 from Aug. 11-16. (Taipei City Government image)
