Taiwan reports 18 new COVID-19 cases, most imported

ROC Central News Agency

08/13/2021 05:34 PM

Taipei, Aug. 13 (CNA) Taiwan on Friday reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 -- four transmitted domestically and 14 contracted overseas -- and two deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Two of the domestic cases were reported in Taipei, and two in Kaohsiung, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said at a CECC press briefing.

Health authorities have identified the source of infection in three of the cases and are looking into the source of the other one, said Chen, who heads the CECC.

 

Meanwhile, the daily number of imported cases was higher on Friday than in recent weeks, he said.

The last time Taiwan recorded a two-digit number of imported cases was on July 14, when 10 such infections were confirmed, according to CECC data.

The 14 imported cases on Friday included 11 Taiwanese nationals, in their 20s to 60s, who returned to the country between July 30 and Aug. 11 from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, China and Vietnam, the CECC said.

The other three imported cases were nationals from Cambodia, India and Vietnam, it said.

According to the CECC, the 14 people all tested positive for COVID-19 near the end of their mandatory 14-day quarantine in Taiwan.

The deaths reported Friday were two men, in their 80s and 60s, who passed away on July 5 and Aug. 4, respectively, the CECC said.

To date, 819 people have died of COVID-19 in Taiwan, including 807 since May 15.

 

The new cases bring the total in Taiwan to 15,836, of which 14,300 are domestic infections reported since May 15, when the country first recorded more than 100 COVID-19 cases in a single day.

As of Friday, over 9 million people in Taiwan have now had at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, making for 38.37 percent of the island's population.

(By Ko Lin)

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