TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed 49,509 local COVID cases on Tuesday (Oct. 4), 65 imported cases, and 31 deaths.
The number of local cases increased by 8.6% compared to the same period last week.
At Tuesday's press briefing, Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, said there were no new cases of children developing multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) or severe cases after a COVID-19 infection.
The pandemic, however, is expected to remain at a prolonged peak this week as an earlier-than-expected local outbreak of an influenza A virus has spread at a police academy in Taipei City and at a school, CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-Hsiang (莊人祥) said.
Local cases
Local cases included 23,352 males and 26,140 females, with the genders of 17 cases still under investigation, ranging in age from under 5 to their 90s.
New Taipei City reported 9,495 cases, followed by 6,583 in Taichung City, 5,296 in Taipei City, 4,914 in Kaohsiung City, 4,834 in Taoyuan City, 3,745 in Tainan City, 2,708 in Changhua County, 1,333 in Pingtung County, 1,279 in Hsinchu County, 1,278 in Miaoli County, 1,247 Yunlin County, 1,154 in Yilan County, 991 in Hsinchu City, 945 in Chiayi County, 845 in Nantou County, 731 in Hualien County, 685 in Keelung City, 615 in Chiayi City, 448 in Taitung County, 175 in Penghu County, 172 in Kinmen County, and 36 in Lienchiang County.
COVID deaths
The 31 deaths announced on Tuesday included 20 males and 11 females ranging in age from their 40s to 90s. All of these individuals were classified as severe cases, 27 of them had a history of chronic disease, and 25 had not received the third dose of a COVID vaccine. Their dates of diagnosis and death ranged from Aug 19 to Oct. 1.
A man with cancer in his 40s was the youngest death recorded today. In Taiwan, approximately 90% of the deceased after infection had multiple chronic or cardiovascular diseases.
Imported cases
The 65 imported cases included 35 males and 30 females, ranging in age from under 5 to their 70s.
Total COVID case statistics
Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has confirmed 6,630,642 cases, of which 6,595,504 were local and 35,084 were imported. So far, 11,232 individuals have succumbed to the disease, with 16 deaths reported among imported cases.