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Taiwan reports 8,026 new COVID-19 cases, 35 deaths

ROC Central News Agency

03/18/2023 04:47 PM

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported 7,825 new domestic COVID-19 cases on Saturday, adding that there were 201 imported cases and 35 deaths.

The case number on Saturday represented a 7.3-percent drop from the same day a week earlier, according to CECC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞).

To date, Taiwan has recorded 10,222,922 COVID-19 infections and 18,732 deaths from the disease since the pandemic began in early 2020.

The CECC announced on Feb. 23 that it would stop releasing detailed daily information on new COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that it intends to lower the status of COVID-19 as a global health emergency this year, Lo noted.

With the tri-monthly meeting of the council that determines such matters at the WHO previously voting to maintain the status of the pandemic, Lo said the council could vote to downgrade COVID-19 on a global level at its next meeting scheduled for the end of April.

Many countries around the world have already lowered the status of the pandemic, with nations such as Japan and the United States aiming to drop their threat response level to the pandemic in May, Lo added.

Taiwan will similarly look to downgrade COVID-19, which could also result in the responsibilities of the CECC being reduced if not suspended, he said.

On when the mask mandate will be further eased, Lo said discussions will likely only take place after the end of April.

However, should the severity of the pandemic continue to fall at a steady pace, the CECC does not rule out the possibility of revisig the mask mandate, Lo said, adding that the mask mandate on public transportation could be lifted, but will remain in place at medical facilities.

The CECC also plans to relax rapid testing protocols at medical facilities, with April 10 the most likely date rapid testing requirements will be lifted on individuals accompanying patients seeing doctors or being admitted, Lo added.

(By Shen Pei-yao and James Lo)

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