Taiwan reports no new COVID-19 cases for fourth time in month

ROC Central News Agency

04/26/2020 04:59 PM

Taipei, April 26 (CNA) Taiwan on Sunday reported no new daily confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus for the fourth time in a month and no new local infections for 14 consecutive days, keeping the total number of those infected in the country at 429, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Taiwan confirmed no new cases April 14, April 16 or April 17 this month, as well as March 8 and March 9, according to CECC statistics.

A total of 281 COVID-19 patients in the country have already been released from quarantine, while the death toll remains at six, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who also heads the CECC, told reporters at a daily briefing in Taipei.

Despite Taiwan recording no new cases, Chen reiterated to the public that they should remain vigilant and exercise proper precautions against the disease for the upcoming May 1 Labor Day holiday.

"Everybody still needs to adhere to social distancing, wear a mask and keep good personal and environmental hygiene," Chen said. "Everyone should still keep that certain awareness."

Taiwan has been praised around the world for acting early and implementing virus prevention measures since the very start of the outbreak, which originated in China late last year.

Of Taiwan's 429 COVID-19 cases to date, 343 have been classified as imported and 55 as local infections, while 31 from Taiwan's Navy are still being investigated to determine whether the source of their infections were imported or domestic, according to CECC statistics.

To date, 281 COVID-19 patients in Taiwan have been categorized as having recovered, while six have died and the others are still hospitalized, the CECC said.

The country has also displayed exemplary medical care, where only three COVID-19 patients were on life support as of Friday, CECC advisor Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said that day.

Taiwan had a total of some five patients on ventilator support since the pandemic started, resulting in just one death, mainly due to other underlying medical conditions, Chang said.

It has also been reported overseas that the mortality rate for patients on respirators is relatively high, but in Taiwan, cases have shown that if patients make it past the critical stage, their conditions tend to improve, Chang said.

Globally, COVID-19 has infected 2,927,523 patients in 184 countries and regions, including 950,245 in the United States, 223,759 in Spain, 195,351 in Italy, 190,614 in France and 152,438 in Germany, with a total of 202,107 fatalities, according to CECC statistics as of Sunday.

(By William Yen)

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