By / ScenicSpots.com Fresh, compiled report
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported 7 new COVID-19 (formerly known as Wuhan pneumonia) cases on April 1, all of which were imported from overseas, mostly from the UK and the US.
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Image / ScenicSpots.com Fresh
[Domestic Epidemic Situation]
The 7 confirmed cases include 3 males and 4 females, residing in 4 northern regions and 3 southern regions. Their ages range from their 20s to over 70 years old. Their entry dates range from March 19 to 30, and onset dates range from February 29 to March 27. The countries they had visited prior to symptom onset are the United States (6 cases) and the United Kingdom (1 case).
The CECC stated that among today’s new cases, Case 325 and Case 329 traveled independently in the U.S. from February 6 to March 30 along with another friend. Case 325 experienced loss of smell on March 23, while Case 329 developed loss of taste and smell, along with phlegm symptoms, on March 24. Both voluntarily declared symptoms upon re-entry and were tested and reported by airport quarantine officers, leading to today's confirmation. This marks an instance of cluster infection from overseas travel. The third travel companion has shown no suspicious symptoms and is currently under home quarantine.
The CECC noted that the other 5 imported cases are independent instances. Their travel purposes included studying abroad, work, and family visits. They were detected through home quarantine (2 persons) and at the airport (3 persons).
Regarding the 367 Hubei returnees who arrived in Taiwan on scheduled special flights on March 29 and 30, none have required hospitalization thus far and continue to be closely monitored for health conditions at centralized quarantine facilities.
[Social Distancing Guidelines]
Recently, the number of imported cases has risen rapidly. There is a possibility that asymptomatic or untreated infected individuals may enter communities, threatening domestic epidemic prevention efforts. To reduce the risk of community transmission, the CECC has formulated "Social Distancing Guidelines." Balancing public convenience with national epidemic control, these guidelines promote social courtesy or enforce social distancing in two phases.
Phase one involves gentle persuasion. The public is advised to avoid attending exhibitions, sporting events, concerts, and other close-contact social activities. Visits to non-essential entertainment venues should also be avoided. It is recommended that people maintain a distance of 1.5 meters indoors and 1 meter outdoors. If both parties wear masks correctly, social distancing can be exempted, but masks should still be worn in crowded or enclosed spaces. For venues where close contact is highly likely and maintaining 1.5 meters is not feasible, operators should suspend business.
Phase two enforces mandatory restrictions. Except for essential activities such as medical treatment, official duties, and daily living needs, all non-essential activities—especially recreational ones—are prohibited. Essential activities must also maintain 1.5 meters indoors and 1 meter outdoors. Even if both individuals wear masks correctly, a minimum distance of 1 meter should still be kept.
The Social Distancing Guidelines provide specific regulations for maintaining distancing in various scenarios, including restaurants, schools or offices, public transportation, retail stores or other commercial venues, queues, special institutions (such as long-term care facilities or prisons), and other designated locations. During the epidemic period, please comply with these rules to reduce the chances of community infection and transmission, protecting both yourself and others.
[Epidemic Statistics]
As of March 31, there have been a cumulative total of 32,726 cases (including 28,765 cases ruled out), with 329 confirmed cases (Cases 323 to 329 today). These consist of 283 imported cases and 46 domestic cases. Among the confirmed cases, 5 have died, 45 have been released from quarantine, and the rest remain hospitalized in isolation. The 367 Hubei returnees from the scheduled flights on March 29 and 30 continue to be monitored without any needing hospitalization.
According to global monitoring data, the worldwide total of confirmed cases has reached 838,568 across 180 countries/regions. The highest numbers are in the United States (184,183), Italy (105,792), Spain (94,417), Mainland China (81,554), and Germany (61,913). The death toll stands at 41,367, with 4,515 new deaths, mainly in Italy (12,428), Spain (8,189), the United States (3,721), France (3,523), and Mainland China (3,312).