Taoyuan General Hospital, the site of a recent cluster of 21 COVID-19 infections, partially reopened yesterday, more than a month after the cluster’s first case was confirmed.
“We were attacked by the virus, but we managed to contain it,” Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said during a reopening ceremony at the hospital. “The central and local governments achieved this together.”
The infections of a doctor at the hospital, who treated a COVID-19 patient, and a nurse the doctor’s partner were confirmed on Jan. 12, followed by 19 more cases, including medical staff, patients, patients’ family
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said it is considering extending the autumn-winter COVID-19 prevention program beyond its planned expiry date on Sunday next week.
The program, launched on Dec. 1 last year, includes tighter border control measures, measures to prevent local infections, expanded reporting requirements and testing at healthcare facilities.
Asked if the CECC plans to modify its COVID-19 prevention measures after a new variant was found in the UK late last year, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that the center might extend the measures already in place.
Inbound travelers would likely continue
NO TIGHTER RULES: The low number of people seeking treatment for illness during the holiday proves that virus prevention measures are effective, the center saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new domestic or imported COVID-19 cases for the second consecutive day.
The last time the nation had no new cases for consecutive days was 109 days ago, when no cases were reported from Oct. 25 to 27 last year, it said.
Answering questions about a Vietnamese news report that a 39-year-old Taiwanese woman who arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on Jan. 28 tested positive in a second COVID-19 test on Thursday, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, said the center has contacted Vietnam’s National