TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced 26,095 local COVID cases on Tuesday (Aug. 23).

CECC Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), also confirmed 287 imported cases, bringing the country's total case count to 5,086,521. The 16 deaths reported brought the country's total COVID death toll to 9,673.

Local cases

The local cases include 11,959 males, 14,121 females, and 15 cases still under investigation, ranging in age from under 5 to their 90s.

COVID deaths

The 16 deaths announced on Tuesday include six males and 10 females ranging in age from their 50s to their 90s. All of these individuals were classified as severe cases, all had a history of chronic disease, and nine had not received their third dose of a COVID vaccine. Their dates of diagnosis ranged from June 24 to Aug. 17 and the dates of death were from July 23 to Aug. 20.

Imported cases

The 287 imported cases included 161 males and 126 females ranging in age from under 5 to their 80s. From Aug. 1-22, nine arrived from Vietnam; seven from the U.S.; six from Japan; three from Indonesia; two each from Thailand, Singapore, the U.K, and Malaysia; and one each from Hong Kong, Cambodia, and Hungary. The countries of origin of 251 other cases are still being investigated.

COVID case statistics

Of Taiwan's 5,086,521 confirmed cases, 25,593 were imported, 5,060,874 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," three from a cargo pilot cluster, one is unresolved, and 14 are under investigation. Up until now, 9,673 individuals have succumbed to the disease, of which 9,657 were local deaths and 16 were imported.