The Ministry of the Interior unveiled a plan yesterday to place videoconferencing systems in the homes of people under SARS quarantine in order to have them closely monitored.
Minister Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) said the first batch of systems will be installed today.
"The first 2,000 systems will go to Taipei City and Taipei County, the two areas that have been affected by SARS the most, and to people who have broken quarantine rules," Yu said.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-TEH, TAIPEI TIMES
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"There are still the questions of who is going to install the system inside these homes and how it is going to be installed," Ma said.
Yu said the ministry would leave the details of the plan to the city and county governments.
The Taipei City Government also responded yesterday to other anti-SARS measures put forward by the Cabinet.
Yu suggested two days ago that everyone who entered and left the Wanhua District wash their hands and have their temperature taken.
But Ma said there are difficulties in putting this plan into place.
"Wanhua is where Taipei City and Taipei County meet, so there is a lot of inbound and outbound traffic. If we are going to stop every driver and person, traffic would be paralyzed," he said.
Regarding those who had not returned to the Huachang Public Housing Complex, the city said it has asked the police to look for the escapees and plans to fine them NT$60,000 each.
The fine would increase by NT$20,000 a day until the escapee returns or until the 10-day confinement comes to an end.
As of yesterday morning, 182 people had not returned to the complex to be quarantined.
Ma also presented a relief plan for Wanhua.
Beginning today, "we will send civil servants from all other districts to Wanhua to help out. Changcheng District will not be enlisted though, because it still has Hoping Hospital to deal with," he said.
"Civil servants from other districts will help with epidemic prevention and emergency response programs," Ma said.
A cleanup of the Wanhua District is planned for today and the city is calling on the public to avoid the area, adding the cleanup will affect traffic.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old