For the first time in more than a month, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported no new cases of COVID-19.
The last time no new confirmed cases were announced was on March 9, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said at a news briefing in Taipei.
While the pandemic is not over yet, having no new cases is still worth being happy about, said Chen, who heads the center.
Photo: CNA
As of yesterday, there were 393 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan — 338 imported and 55 local — the center said.
There have been six deaths so far, while 124 patients have been released from quarantine, up from 114 on Monday, it said.
Meanwhile, National Taiwan Normal University said that the first student at the school to test positive for COVID-19 was discharged from hospital on Monday.
The student, who tested positive on March 30, was discharged after testing negative for the virus three times, the university said in a statement.
A second case at the school — a roommate of the first case — was confirmed on Wednesday last week, it said.
All of those who had been ordered to isolate at home or self-manage their health due to possible contact with the two students completed the 14-day period on Monday, it said.
However, since the situation has not yet subsided, the school would continue to remain vigilant, and routinely clean and disinfect its premises, as well as take other preventive measures, it said.
Distance learning at the school began on Monday last week and is to continue through Friday, the university added.
The CECC yesterday also announced that starting today, masks designed for children aged four to eight would be available for preorder online.
The masks are about 8cm by 12cm when folded, it said.
The center would also reinstate an age restriction on purchases of children’s masks.
Nearly one-quarter of children’s masks have been purchased using National Health Insurance (NHI) cards belonging to adults since the practice was allowed, it said.
Starting on Thursday next week, only NHI cards belonging to children aged 16 and under can be used to purchase children’s masks to ensure that children are given priority, it said.
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS