TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan reported its second death of the year from COVID-19 Saturday (April 9), but both deaths were the only severe cases of the virus so far in 2022.

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said at its daily news conference Saturday that the number of “moderate and severe COVID cases” had doubled from five to 10 overnight. However, only two of the 10 were severe, with one patient who died on Feb. 15 and the latest death recorded Thursday (April 7) and announced Saturday.

The 10 cases amount to only 0.32% of the 3,108 COVID cases registered since Jan. 1, with 99.68% of all cases being mild or asymptomatic. This has led the authorities to introduce new strategies to meet the need for isolation and healthcare.

The latest COVID death was a woman in her 90s who had not received a single vaccine dose and who suffered from high blood pressure and Parkinson’s, CNA reported. She became ill on March 2, was diagnosed as a COVID case on April 4, and died on April 7, the CECC said. According to a preliminary investigation, she had been infected with the Omicron BA.2 strain of the coronavirus.

Of the 10 moderate and severe COVID cases, four were 90 or older, the CECC said, adding that elderly people should be encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.