Two more imported cases of Wuhan coronavirus reported in Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

01/28/2020 05:39 PM

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported two new imported cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed imported cases in Taiwan to seven.

The new cases were both septuagenarian woman from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected in December 2019, the CECC said in a press release.

According to the CECC, the two Chinese nationals arrived in Taiwan together on Jan. 22 and sought medication after developing a fever three days later.

They are now under quarantine in negative pressure isolation wards, which only allow inward airflow, the CECC said.

"The two patients are in a stable condition. The hospital and local health agencies are tracing their contacts and taking other preventive measures in accordance with proper procedures," it said.

According to the latest figures, a total of 530 suspected 2019-nCoV cases have been reported in Taiwan since the epidemic broke out in China, with seven testing positive, the CECC said, adding that all seven confirmed cases are being treated.

While 269 of the suspected cases have been cleared of having the virus, the rest are still undergoing laboratory tests, the CECC said.

Although the contacts of the latest two patients are still being traced, those of the first five confirmed cases have reached 470. Among those who developed symptoms, six are awaiting test results, the CECC said.

Due to the epidemic situation in China and World Health Organization warnings that the virus is capable of human-to-human transmission, the CECC on Tuesday raised its travel alert for China to the highest level in its three-tier warning system, meaning people should avoid unnecessary travel to the region.

However, the travel alert does not cover Hong Kong and Macao, the CECC said.

Based on statistics from China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and relevant agencies, 4,515 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases have been reported in mainland China as of Jan. 27.

Of those, there have been 106 fatalities and 976 patients are in a serious condition, the CDC said.

(By Emerson Lim)

Enditem/AW