Taiwan records fourth imported COVID-19 case in four days

ROC Central News Agency

07/19/2020 05:04 PM

Taipei, July 19 (CNA) Taiwan on Sunday recorded its fourth new imported COVID-19 case in four days as new infections increase across the world, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center.

The latest case is a man in his 40s who frequently visits Hong Kong for work. The man returned to Taiwan on Friday with the intention of visiting relatives after last exiting the country in April, CECC spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at a press conference in Taipei.

The patient developed a dry cough and sore throat on July 15 but did not seek medical treatment while overseas, Chuang said.

However, on arriving in Taiwan, he informed health officials about his symptoms, Chuang said, adding that the man was tested and sent to be quarantined.

"He arrived at the airport just a bit before noon and was quarantined in less than an hour," Chuang said.

The test results came back positive on Sunday and the patient is currently in hospital receiving treatment, Chuang said.

The CECC has identified 10 people, including eight who came into close contact with the man during the flight from Hong Kong, according to Chuang.

The eight passengers who were sitting in the two rows closest to the man have been contacted and asked to remain in home isolation, Chuang said.

The remaining two are family members who live with the man in Hong Kong and are currently still overseas, Chuang added.

The new imported case of COVID-19 on Sunday brought the total number in Taiwan to 455, while fatalities remain at seven.

Since April 12, Taiwan has not recorded any locally transmitted cases, according to CECC data.

The last time Taiwan recorded a new imported case was on Friday, when a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s returned on separate flights from the Philippines on July 15.

Prior to those two cases, Taiwan also recorded a new imported case on Thursday, a woman in her 30s who returned from the Philippines on Tuesday.

Of the 455 cases in Taiwan since the outbreak began late last year, 364 have been classified as imported, 55 as locally acquired, and 36 as a cluster infection on board a naval ship, an outbreak that was later confirmed to have originated in Taiwan.

"Currently, there are over 14 million confirmed cases around the world, with some 600,000 deaths," Chuang said. "The number of new cases in the past two days has soared to new records with 237,000 on July 17 and 259,000 on July 18."

Globally, COVID-19 has infected 14,235,989 people in 187 countries and regions, with a total of 601,498 fatalities, according to CECC statistics as of Sunday.

(By William Yen)

Enditem/AW