Taiwan confirms 3 new imported COVID-19 cases
ROC Central News Agency
03/25/2021 05:14 PM
Taipei, March 25 (CNA) Taiwan on Thursday confirmed three new imported cases of COVID-19 -- one from the United States and two from the Philippines -- bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,012, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
One case involves a Taiwanese man in his 20s, who went to the U.S. Nov. 19, 2020 for work and returned to Taiwan via South Korea three days later, CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at a regular press briefing in Taipei Thursday.
The man had displayed no symptoms since he was quarantined in a government-designated hotel after returning to Taiwan.
He took a self-paid COVID-19 test on March 23 in order to travel abroad again, the result of which came back positive Thursday, Chuang said, adding that the test result showed a CT value of 36.
A CT value greater than 34 indicates a low viral load, which is typically associated with a lower risk of infectiousness.
Chuang said the man took a COVID-19 nucleic acid test again the following day and had a negative test result for the disease, adding that the man had both IgM and IgG antibodies, indicating that he was infected a while ago and may have contracted COVID-19 in the U.S.
The CECC has identified 10 people with whom the man had contact.
The other two new cases were migrant workers from the Philippines -- one man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s, Chuang said.
The Filpino man arrived in Taiwan March 2 to work and presented a negative COVID-19 test report issued within three days of his flight.
He tested negative again March 15 before the end of his mandatory 14-day quarantine at a government-designated facility and was placed under self-health management March 17 after completing the quarantine period.
He took a self-paid test again March 23 in order to start work and that result came back on Thursday showing that he was infected with COVID-19, although he remains asymptomatic so far and no contacts have been identified, Chuang said.
The woman came to Taiwan March 16 for work and also provided a negative COVID-19 test result issued within three days of her departure from the Philippines.
Upon arrival in Taiwan, the woman displayed no symptoms of the disease and was placed into quarantine at a government-designated facility, Chuang said.
On March 22, she developed symptoms such as headaches, a cough and sore throat and was tested March 24, the result of which came back positive on Thursday, according to Chuang.
Of the total 1,012 cases of COVID-19 reported in Taiwan, 896 have been classified as imported, 971 have recovered, 10 have died and 31 are in hospital, according to CECC statistics as of Thursday.
(By Chang Ming-hsuan and Evelyn Kao)
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