TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) is reported to be working from home on Wednesday (May 4) after he came in contact with a staff member who tested positive for COVID.

A member of the mayor’s entourage received a positive PCR test result, leading the mayor to decide to stay home Wednesday, Sanlih E-Television reported. The two had spent five minutes in the same vehicle on Tuesday (May 3), but they both wore masks and maintained social distancing.

Ko’s agenda on Wednesday included a regular COVID-related meeting, which he conducted virtually. Participants discussed the city’s 11 emergency wards for COVID cases, while the mayor called on patients to book an appointment and fill out the necessary forms online to save time.

At present, 469 Taipei City Government employees have been listed as COVID patients, with 31 staying in hospitals, 25 at quarantine centers or hotels, and 413 isolating at home. A total of 300 relatives of city staff have been infected, and 79 other people are working at city government locations.

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday announced a record single-day number of 28,420 new local infections nationwide, including 5,538 in Taipei City.