TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Amid the fresh surge in local COVID-19 cases, New Taipei will no longer publish the movements of new cases if the number of nationwide infections exceeds 1,000 a day.
Given that a zero-COVID policy is no longer viable and with COVID infections on the rise, disclosing where cases have set foot is not meaningful, and people may let their guard down if they are misled into believing they are safe as long as their footprints do not overlap with those of infected individuals, CNA quoted New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (劉和然) as saying Wednesday (April 13).
Taiwan's most populated city recorded 264 of the 744 local cases reported nationwide on Wednesday.
That day, New Taipei launched a home care program for those who test positive for the virus in order to maximize the city's limited medical capacity. Seven designated hospitals will assess the condition of new cases to determine who isolates at home and who requires hospital treatment or a centralized quarantine.
This will free up hospital resources for patients that need special care. Individuals who are under 65, not pregnant, not on kidney dialysis, and have mild or no symptoms are eligible for the home care scheme.
The city's 29 district offices will provide 10 services for those in home isolation, including supplies, pet care, garbage collection, and psychological support, according to the Department of Health.
