Taiwan records two new imported cases of COVID-19

ROC Central News Agency

12/09/2020 03:49 PM

Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) Taiwan recorded two new imported cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, one from Myanmar and one from Indonesia, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 720, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

The case from Myanmar is a man in his 40s who came to work in Taiwan on Nov. 22, with proof of a negative COVID-19 test result issued within three days of his flight, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC.

After completing his mandatory 14-day quarantine at a hotel, the man was arranged by his labor broker to be tested and this time, his result came back positive on Wednesday, although he was asymptomatic, Chen said.

Six people who are known to have had contact with the man are now in quarantine, Chen said.

The other case reported Wednesday is that of an Indonesian man in his 40s who came to Taiwan to work as a ship crew member on Nov. 21. He also had proof of a negative COVID-19 test issued within three days of his flight, Chen said.

A day after he completed quarantine at a hotel, his employer arranged for him to be tested for COVID-19 and his results also came back positive on Wednesday, Chen said.

The Indonesian man has been asymptomatic so far, Chen said, adding that a person who was in contact with him has been quarantined.

To date, Taiwan has recorded 720 cases of COVID-19, 628 of which have been classified as imported. Of the total, 585 have recovered, 128 are hospitalized and seven have died, CECC data shows.

Globally, COVID-19 has infected over 68.2 million people in 191 countries and regions, with more than 1.5 million fatalities, according to CECC statistics as of Wednesday.

(By Chiang Yi-ching)

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