TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) official on Thursday (June 16) predicted an "obvious decrease" in COVID cases starting next week.

During a press conference that afternoon, a member of the media asked whether a prediction by CECC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) convener Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎) that local cases would drop to less than 10,000 cases in July was consistent with CECC estimates. Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, responded by saying that the center predicts that there should be a weekly decline with northern Taiwan already showing a significant drop in cases, while central and southern Taiwan appear to be poised to exit the plateau period.

Lo said that the number of people across the country receiving treatment in special hospital wards for COVID has dropped from a peak of 7,588 to 6,626 on Thursday. He pointed out that over the past three days there have been around 60,000 cases nationwide, while last week saw an average daily case count of over 80,000, demonstrating a clear downward trend.

The most obvious decline is in northern Taiwan, including Taipei City, New Taipei City, Keelung City, and Yilan County, as well as Lienchiang County and Kinmen County, where the number of patients in hospital wards has declined from 3,563 on May 24 to 2,088 on Thursday. Hospital admissions in central and southern Taiwan appear to still be in a plateau period, said Lo.

Lo predicted that by next week, there should be an "obvious decline" in the number of cases across the country. However, as to whether cases will drop to 10,000 by July, Lo said it will depend on whether the public continues to observe epidemic prevention measures or if there is an increase in the movement of large crowds, possibly leading to cluster infections.