TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed 23,088 local COVID cases on Thursday (Aug. 18), 337 imported cases, and 34 deaths.
At the CECC's daily press briefing, Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, said there were two new cases of young children suffering multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) after a COVID-19 infection. As of today, 102 children have been diagnosed with MIS-C after a BA.2 infection.
Lo also confirmed a cluster of Omicron BA.4 in a family of four in northern Taiwan, after the father in his 30s was confirmed to be the country's first local BA.4 case on Monday (Aug. 15). The other three family members were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.
Local cases
Local cases included 10,665 males, 12,408 females, and 15 cases still under investigation, ranging in age from under five to their 90s.
New Taipei City reported 4,729 cases, followed by 2,808 in Taipei City, 2,748 in Taichung City, 2,582 in Taoyuan City, 1,799 in Kaohsiung City, 1,522 in Tainan City, 963 in Changhua County, 693 in Hsinchu County, 663 in Miaoli County, 603 in Hsinchu City, 562 in Pingtung County, 544 in Yilan County, 532 in Yunlin County, 447 in Hualien County, 423 in Keelung City, 386 in Chiayi City, 370 in Nantou County, 251 in Chiayi County, 211 in Taitung County, 131 in Penghu County, 114 in Kinmen County, and 7 in Lienchiang County.
COVID deaths
The 34 deaths announced on Thursday included 21 males and 13 females ranging in age from their 40s to 90s. All of these individuals were classified as severe cases and had a history of chronic disease, and 23 had not received their third dose of a COVID vaccine. Their dates of diagnosis ranged from May 31 to Aug. 15 and their dates of death were from May 31 to Aug. 15.
Imported cases
The 337 imported cases included 182 males and 155 females ranging in age from under 5 to their 80s.
Total COVID case statistics
Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has confirmed 4,975,970 cases, of which 24,320 were imported, 4,951,596 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, 9,540 individuals have succumbed to the disease, with 16 deaths reported among imported cases.
