TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign nationals who test positive for COVID-19 after their arrival in Taiwan will see the government shoulder their initial medical costs, Cabinet ministers said Tuesday (Oct. 4).

The mandatory three-day quarantine for arrivals from overseas will end Oct. 13, while other restrictions will also be removed. The changes, announced late last month, were expected to fuel a surge in inbound and outbound travel.

Confusion arose when a Tourism Bureau publication mentioned that foreign citizens who tested positive for COVID after arriving in Taiwan would have to pay their own medical expenses, with the government only picking up the tab for the quarantine, CNA reported. The statement reportedly caused concern from the travel industry.

Legislators asked government ministers for a clarification of the reports Tuesday. Health and Welfare Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) replied that since in the early stage of the reopening, it was expected most people entering the country would be Taiwanese citizens, the government would pay medical expenses for both locals and foreigners. Only in a later phase would the government reconsider the current formula, he told lawmakers.