TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan reported 43,040 local COVID-19 infections Saturday (Oct. 1), as well as 45 imported cases and 48 deaths, according to a news release from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

As the CECC estimated the pandemic was likely to start a decline next week, it decided to do away with the mandatory quarantine for arrivals in the country and with a wide range of other restrictions beginning Oct. 13.

Saturday's new local cases included 19,924 males and 23,095 females ranging in age from under 5 to 99. New Taipei City reported the highest number of local infections, 8,756, followed by Taichung City with 5,745 cases, and Taipei City with 4,846. Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Changhua, Hsinchu County, Pingtung, and Miaoli each also reported more than 1,000 local infections Saturday.

The 48 newly reported deaths were 32 male and 16 female local cases aged between 40 and 99, including 44 suffering from chronic diseases and 30 not having received three vaccine shots. They were diagnosed with COVID between May 14 and Sept. 28, and passed away between May 14 and Sept. 28.

The 45 new imported cases, a sharp drop from the 225 recorded the previous day, included 23 males and 22 females, aged from 10 to 69. They arrived in Taiwan between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30.

Since the start of the pandemic, Taiwan has registered 6,504,422 COVID cases, including 6,469,460 domestic cases and 34,908 imported ones. The 11,101 fatalities include 11,085 due to local infections, with New Taipei City registering 2,322 deaths, Taipei City 1,236, Taichung City 1,122, and Kaohsiung City 1,029.