By / Compiled and reported by Travel Fresh
The Central Epidemic Command Center announced on the 31st that there were 16 new domestically confirmed COVID-19 (Wuhan pneumonia) cases, including 14 imported cases and 2 local cases. Minister Chen also provided suggestions regarding social distancing.
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[Domestic Outbreak Situation]
Among the 16 confirmed cases, the two local cases are a man in his 70s (Case 307) and a man in his 20s (Case 322), both of whom have had no recent travel history. Case 307 had dined with Case 122 (an imported case from Turkey). On March 25, he sought treatment at a clinic due to symptoms such as chest tightness and muscle soreness. He visited a clinic and hospital on March 26 and 28 respectively due to fever, was hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia, and tested positive today. So far, 46 contacts have been preliminarily identified.
The 20-something male in Case 322 experienced symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, and general fatigue on March 26 and sought treatment at a clinic. Due to persistent symptoms, he went to the hospital on March 29 and was hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia. A test was conducted by the hospital on the 30th, and he tested positive today. Initial investigations indicate that prior to the onset of symptoms, Case 322 mainly stayed at school and in the dormitory. Currently, 13 contacts have been preliminarily identified. Further investigation will continue to determine if there is any other high-risk exposure history to clarify the source of infection.
The 14 newly added imported cases today include 7 men and 7 women, aged between their 20s and 60s. Their entry dates range from March 16 to 29, and the onset of symptoms occurred between March 1 and 27. Their activity locations prior to symptom onset include the United States, United Kingdom, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Thailand, and the Philippines, with most traveling for work or study.
Case 315 attended the same school in the UK as Cases 257, 258, and 300, and had contact with Cases 258 and 300 before returning to Taiwan. Case 315 showed no symptoms upon entry on March 22, developed symptoms on the 25th, was tested by health authorities on the 27th, and tested positive today. To date, a total of 4 people related to this school cluster have tested positive.
Case 318 has been studying in France for a long time and entered Taiwan on March 17. As they traveled on the same flight as Case 112, they were listed as a contact. Case 318 developed symptoms on March 27, sought medical treatment and was tested by health authorities on the 28th, and tested positive today. Case 321 worked in Switzerland from February 9 to March 20. Although they have shown no symptoms since returning, one fellow traveler (Case 294) has tested positive, and Case 294 reported that locals at the Swiss workplace had exhibited fever symptoms. As a precaution, health authorities arranged for Case 321 to be tested at the hospital on March 29, and they tested positive today.
The chartered flight from Hubei that arrived in Taiwan on the evening of the 30th brought back 214 people, all of whom are currently under centralized quarantine. Meanwhile, the first special scheduled flight bringing Taiwanese back home had 153 passengers, all of whom tested negative, and are being closely monitored for health conditions at quarantine facilities.
In addition, the Command Center also recommendsSocial DistancingIt is advisable to maintain a distance of 1 meter outdoors and 1.5 meters indoors in public spaces.
[International Outbreak Situation]
The United States has reported its first death of an active-duty military member due to Wuhan pneumonia. The soldier from New Jersey passed away on March 28. He had been hospitalized since March 21 but ultimately succumbed to the pneumonia virus. The U.S. reported over 20,000 new confirmed cases in a single day, bringing the cumulative total to over 163,000—an extremely significant figure.
The country with the second highest number of confirmed cases is Italy. After implementing lockdown and quarantine measures, the outbreak appears to be slowing down. Italy’s death toll has exceeded 16,000, and both new cases and deaths are on the decline.
The country with the third highest number of confirmed cases is Spain, which has now surpassed China’s reported figures to become the third highest. Due to the severity of the outbreak, Spain has also issued bans related to funerals—for example, wakes are limited to a maximum of three participants, and social distancing of 1–2 meters must be maintained until April 11.
[Epidemic Statistics]
As of March 30, there were 1,040 new domestic reports related to COVID-19 in Taiwan, with a cumulative total of 31,800 cases (including 28,057 cases ruled out). Of these, 322 cases have been confirmed (Cases 307 to 322 reported today), including 276 imported cases and 46 local cases. Among the confirmed cases, 5 have died, 39 have been released from quarantine, and the rest remain hospitalized in isolation.
According to international monitoring data, there are a cumulative total of 763,597 confirmed cases globally, distributed across 178 countries/regions. The highest number of cases are in the United States (159,184), Italy (101,739), Spain (85,195), mainland China (81,518), and Germany (57,298). There have been 36,852 deaths globally, with the highest numbers in Italy (11,591), Spain (7,340), mainland China (3,305), France (3,024), and the United States (2,945).