TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday (Aug. 18) reported six new local COVID-19 cases, a slight increase from the four cases reported the previous day.
Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced 11 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including five imported infections and six local ones. The CECC did not announce any deaths, leaving the COVID death toll at 821.
Local cases
The latest local cases include two men and four women between the ages of 20 and 80, with one falling ill on Aug. 14, while the rest are asymptomatic. As for the distribution of these cases, four were in Taipei City and two in New Taipei City.
Epidemiological investigations determined that of these, two are from known sources and four are from unknown sources. Inquiries are ongoing to clarify the source of the infections.
Quarantine numbers
Chen pointed out that among the 14,663 cases announced between May 11 and Aug. 16, 13,214 or 90.1%, have been released from quarantine.
Imported cases
According to Chen, the five imported cases reported on Wednesday include one man and four women between the ages of 20 and 40. Between May 17 and Aug. 15, they entered Taiwan from the U.S. (case Nos. 15,996 and 15,998), Saudi Arabia (case No. 15,997), India (case No. 15,999), and France (case No. 16,000).
COVID case statistics
Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 2,407,073 COVID tests, with 2,389,646, or 99%, coming back negative. Out of the 15,891 confirmed cases, 1,351 were imported, 14,487 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," two were from a cargo pilot cluster, and one was an unresolved case.
A total of 110 people have been removed as confirmed cases, while 14 cases are still under investigation. Up until now, 821 individuals have succumbed to the disease.
Of the 813 deaths from local infections, 402 were in New Taipei; 313 in Taipei; 28 in Keelung; 26 in Taoyuan; 15 in Changhua County; 12 in Hsinchu County; four in Taichung; three in Miaoli County; two each in Yilan and Hualien counties; and one each in Taitung County, Yunlin County, Tainan City, Nantou County, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County. The eight other deaths were imported cases.
