TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Tuesday (Feb. 9) confirmed one new domestic case of the COVID-19 and four imported cases.

Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced the new local coronavirus case and four imported infections, raising the total number of cases in Taiwan so far to 933. The latest imported cases are Taiwanese women ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s who had recently traveled to the U.S. or France.

Each had submitted negative results of tests taken within three days of their flight, and each was sent directly to their residence or an epidemic hotel upon arrival in Taiwan.

According to Chen, case No. 930 is a Taiwanese woman in her 20s who went to the U.S. to study in August of last year. She returned to Taiwan on Dec. 22.

She was asymptomatic throughout her quarantine stay and self-health monitoring period. However, because she was preparing to travel overseas, she went to a hospital to undergo a coronavirus test at her own expense on Feb. 6.

However, the result was inconclusive. She then took another coronavirus test on Feb. 7 and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Feb. 9.

A blood serum test for antibodies revealed a negative result for IgM but a positive reaction for IgG antibodies. Therefore, the CECC believes that the woman contracted the disease in the U.S. and has listed her as an imported case.

The health department has identified two persons who live with her as contacts in her case. They have since been told to enter home isolation.

Case No. 931 is a woman in her 60s, while case No. 932 is a female in her 20s, both of whom are relatives. Case No. 931 had been living in France for an extended period of time and had most recently departed from Taiwan in February of last year.

Case No. 932 went to France for school in 2019 and also visited Belgium during that period. On Jan. 21 of this year, she returned to France to live with case No. 931.

The two returned to Taiwan on Jan. 28. Chen pointed out that case No. 931 had developed a cough on Jan. 29. Meanwhile, case No. 932 experienced a sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, diarrhea, and a loss of the sense of smell on Jan. 30.

As both had persistent symptoms, the health department arranged for them to be tested for the coronavirus on Feb. 5. The two were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Feb. 9.

The health department has identified two passengers who sat near the two cases on the flight to Taiwan. The two passengers have been told to undergo home isolation, while 11 crew members who did not enter the country will be notified through the World Health Organization's National IHR Focal Point (NFP) in their country.

Case No. 933 is a Taiwanese woman in her 50s. In December of last year, she went to the U.S. with a family member to visit relatives.

She returned to Taiwan on Jan. 29 of this year. On Feb. 4, she began to have the sensation that there was a foreign object in her throat and suffered from a cough.

With her symptoms persisting, the health department arranged for her to undergo a medical examination on Feb. 6. However, the result was negative.

She took another coronavirus test on Feb. 7 and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Feb. 9. The health department has identified one contact, who had taken the same flight to visit relatives and has been told to begin home isolation.

As for the day's sole domestic case, Chen said that case No. 934 is a Taiwanese woman in her 50s who is a relative of case No. 864, the husband of case No. 863, a nurse who works at the same hospital as case No. 838, a physician who was the first person in the cluster. Case No. 934 is also a family member of cases Nos. 865, 907, 909, and 910, all of whom live in the same residence.

Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 165,840 COVID-19 tests, with 162,619 coming back negative. Out of the 933 officially confirmed cases, 817 were imported, 77 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," two were from a cargo pilot cluster, one is an unresolved case, and one (case No. 530) was removed as a confirmed case.

Up until now, nine individuals have succumbed to the disease, while 850 have been released from hospital isolation, leaving 74 patients still undergoing treatment in Taiwan.