TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed 21,761 local COVID cases on Friday (Aug. 12).
In addition, the center reported 31 deaths and 228 imported cases for Friday.
At CECC's daily press briefing, Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, said that among the accumulated 162 severe COVID-19 cases in children aged under 12, two thirds of them were under 5 years. Also, of the total severe cases in children, 87% had not received a single COVID-19 dose.
Chang Gung Children's Hospital physician Dr. Chiu Cheng-hsun (邱政洵) was invited to the daily press briefing to explain why vaccination in children is important.
Chiu said, citing a Danish population-based study, the COVID-19 vaccination can substantially reduce the risk of developing multisystem inflammatory syndrome, also known as MIS-C, after a COVID-19 infection, despite the variants. The development of MIS-C is believed to be highly correlated to the deaths in children weeks after their infection with the virus.
"The data from the CECC also shows a similar conclusion," Chiu added.
Local cases
Local cases included 10,017 males, 11,738 females, and 6 cases still under investigation, ranging in age from one to their 90s.
New Taipei City reported 4,376 cases, followed by 2,665 in Taichung City, 2,429 in Taoyuan City, 2,355 in Taipei City, 1,775 in Kaohsiung City, 1,517 in Tainan City, 991 in Changhua County, 726 in Miaoli County, 652 in Hsinchu County, 546 in Pingtung County, 508 in Yunlin County, 497 in Yilan County, 494 in Hsinchu City, 397 in Hualien County, 356 in Nantou County, 346 in Keelung City, 320 in Chiayi County, 222 in Penghu County, 214 in Chiayi City, 207 in Taitung County, 160 in Kinmen County, and 8 in Lienchiang County.
COVID deaths
The 31 deaths announced on Friday included 14 males and 17 females ranging in age from one to their 80s, including two unvaccinated young children. All of these individuals were classified as severe cases, 30 had a history of chronic disease, and 23 had not received their third dose of a COVID vaccine. Their dates of diagnosis ranged from June 28 to Aug. 9 and the dates of death were from June 12 to Aug. 9.
Imported cases
The 228 imported cases included 129 males and 99 females ranging in age from under 5 to their 70s.
Total COVID case statistics
Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has confirmed 4,846,501 cases, of which 22,800 were imported, 4,823,647 were local, 36 came from the Navy's "Goodwill Fleet," three from a cargo pilot cluster, one is unresolved, and 14 are under investigation.
So far, 9,373 individuals have succumbed to the disease, with 15 deaths reported among imported cases.
