TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is conducting PCR tests on 8,000 people as it scrambles to contain an outbreak of the Omicron strain of COVID-19 centered on the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the command post set up at the epicenter of the cluster infection and has played a similar role in previous community outbreaks, said in a Facebook post Sunday (Jan. 9) that he had been tasked with testing 8,000 people in a two-day period.

The individuals, who include frontline workers at the airport, the nation's gateway, are being tested after a cluster of the highly transmissible variant grew to 14 cases. The mass screening underscores the urgency with which the government is trying to get the outbreak under control as thousands of citizens are expected to return for the Lunar New Year holiday in the coming weeks.

The screenings will be carried out by three hospitals in Tayouan: Landseed International Hospital, Taoyuan General Hospital, and Min-Sheng General Hospital.

According to Wang, an investigation has been launched to paint a clearer picture of the transmission chain of the cluster. The area around baggage carousel No. 7-8 has been identified as one possible source of infection after two cleaning crew workers who tested positive were found to have cleaned the same restrooms nearby.

The Central Epidemic Command Center on Friday (Jan. 7) declared community transmission of the Omicron variant. In addition to airport cleaners, the cluster involved security guards, taxi drivers, and their contacts.

Baggage carousel No. 7-8, a suspected source of infection. (Facebook, Victor Wang photo)