COVID-19: KMT councilor adds fire to Chen ‘execution’ row
By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
Tainan City Councilor Lu Kun-fu (盧崑福) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday sparked further controversy when he echoed remarks by KMT caucus whip Alex Fei (費鴻泰) that Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) should be executed for an increase in domestic COVID-19 cases.
Chen heads the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Lu at a question-and-answer session at the Tainan City Council said that a lapse in disease prevention measures at China Airlines, which has led to a cluster infection, could have been controlled.
However, as the airline’s pilots were allowed a shortened quarantine period of three days and were placed in a hotel with other guests, the local outbreak began, Lu said.
Taipei, May 12 (CNA) The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday it will implement a six-pronged strategy to curb the recent rise in domestic COVID-19 cases, which will include registration of contact information at all business places.
Six guidelines issued for enhanced protection
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced six main guidelines for enhanced measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in local communities.
Following a cluster of cases among China Airlines (華航) pilots, workers at its quarantine facility, the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport hotel, and their family members since the middle of last month, the CECC on Tuesday reported six locally transmitted cases with unknown infection sources.
On the same day, it announced that Taiwan’s COVID-19 situation has entered the “local transmission” stage, and raised the domestic warning to level 2, ordering enhanced disease prevention measures to be implemented until June 8.
Universal testing still unnecessary in Taiwan: CECC officials
05/12/2021 05:19 PM
CNA file photo
Taipei, May 12 (CNA) Officials from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) indicated Wednesday that Taiwan will not carry out universal testing for COVID-19, even though the coronavirus disease has spread to local communities, saying such an approach was useless and would only make matters worse.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, told reporters before a legislative session that universal testing in the current situation would only make things more chaotic, but agreed that it is necessary to expand testing and extend quarantine measures to more people.
Stabilization fund commission mulls meeting after market plunge
05/12/2021 07:41 PM
CNA file photo
Taipei, May 12 (CNA) The National Stabilization Fund commission could meet soon following heavy losses on the local equity market, at a time of rising fears over domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, Finance Minister Su Jain-rong (蘇建榮) said Wednesday.
When asked by lawmakers whether the stabilization fund would intervene in the market to smooth volatility, Su said that the commission could meet shortly to discuss whether to enter the market.
The NT$500 billion (US$17.85 billion) stabilization fund was set up in 2000 by the government to serve as a buffer against unexpected external factors that might disrupt the local bourse.