TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday (Dec. 15) reported seven new imported COVID-19 cases and one death.
CECC Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) that afternoon announced seven imported COVID cases and no new local infections. He also announced one death, bringing the country's COVID death toll to 849.
COVID deaths
Chuang said the single death reported on Wednesday, case No. 10,511, was a Taiwanese man in his 50s with a history of diabetes and exposure to confirmed cases. He tested positive for the virus on June 3 and on June 4 was placed in a hospital isolation ward after suffering respiratory failure and was intubated.
According to Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, the man was diagnosed with COVID on June 5 and was released from isolation on Aug. 14 after testing negative for the virus several times. However, due to respiratory problems, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension, he continued to require oxygen therapy.
He later developed septic shock due to ischemic enteritis and died on Nov. 19. Lo said that after a discussion by experts, it was concluded that the man's symptoms after isolation and death had been precipitated by his COVID infection.
Imported cases
According to Lo, the seven imported cases reported on Wednesday include six males and one female ranging in age from their 20s to their 40s. Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5, they entered Taiwan from the Philippines (case Nos. 16,864, 16,866, 16,867), Australia (case No. 16,865), Indonesia (case No. 16,868), and the U.S. (case No. 16,870).
COVID case statistics
Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 4,690,800 COVID tests, with 4,672,174 coming back negative. Of the 16,759 confirmed cases, 2,114 were imported, 14,591 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," three were from a cargo pilot cluster, and one was unresolved.
A total of 111 people have been removed as confirmed cases, while 14 cases are still under investigation. Up until now, 849 individuals have succumbed to the disease.
Of the 837 deaths from local infections, 412 were in New Taipei; 322 in Taipei; 29 in Keelung; 27 in Taoyuan; 15 in Changhua County; 13 in Hsinchu County; five in Taichung; three in Miaoli County; two each in Yilan and Hualien counties; and one each in Hsinchu City, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, and Taitung County. The 12 other deaths were imported cases.
