Taiwan reaches 101 days with no new local COVID-19 cases

Taiwan reached 101 days with no new local cases of COVID-19, despite a handful of new imported cases throughout the past week, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) quoted the Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC) Wednesday.

At a weekly press conference, Health Minister Chen Shih Chung, who also heads the CECC, said Taiwan has not recorded any locally transmitted cases since April 12.

"Even though there are still sporadic cases of imported COVID-19, we will continue to employ strict border controls," Chen said.

Taiwan recorded four new imported COVID-19 cases from July 16-19 involving individuals returning from the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Of the 455 cases recorded in the country since the outbreak began late last year, 364 have been classified as imported, 55 as locally acquired, and 36 as a cluster infection on board a naval ship, an outbreak that was later confirmed to have originated in Taiwan.

To date, 440 COVID-19 patients in Taiwan have recovered and seven have died, the CECC said, adding that only eight are still receiving treatment in hospital quarantine.

Globally, COVID-19 has infected 14,912,927 people in 187 countries and regions, including 3,967,487 in the United States, 2,159,654 in Brazil, 1,155,191 in India, 783,328 in Russia, and 381,798 in South Africa, with a total of 616,029 fatalities, according to CECC statistics as of Wednesday.

"Even though we have safely passed 100 days without any new local cases, we need to continue to remain vigilant," Chen said.

-- BERNAMA