On December 31, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced two new confirmed imported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan. The two new cases arrived in Taiwan from the United Kingdom (Case #799) and India (Case #800).

Case #799 is an over 70-year-old male from the United Kingdom. The British man came to Taiwan to visit his family members on December 18. During the home quarantine period, he began to develop a cough and experience shortness of breath after doing activities on December 26. Because the British man also experienced fatigue and a sore throat on December 29, the health authority then arranged for him to seek medical care and undergo COVID-19 testing. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on December 31.

Case #800 is an over 20-year-old man from India. The Indian man traveled to Taiwan for business on December 15. After entry, he stayed at quarantine hotel to undergo quarantine. He hasn’t developed any symptoms since entry. After completing the quarantine period on December 30, the company which the Indian man worked for arranged for him to take a self-paid COVID-19 test. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on December 31.

The CECC reported that a cumulative total of 126,506 cases related to COVID-19 have been reported in Taiwan among which COVID-19 has been ruled out in 124,196. Of these reported cases, infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in 799 cases. Of the 799 confirmed cases, 704 are imported; 56 are indigenous; 36 are naval crew members aboard the Panshi fast combat support ship; 2 are infections on an aircraft; 1 case has unknown sources of infection; and 1 case (Case #530) has been removed (Case #530 is not assigned to any patients). Of the confirmed cases, there have been 7 deaths, and 671 patients have been released from isolation, with the other 121 patients remaining hospitalized in isolation.