On June 15, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced two new confirmed imported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan. Cases #444 and #445 are an over 50-year-old male and an over 40-year-old female, respectively. The two cases are a couple, and they visited Bangladesh for work in the second half of January and the first half of March, respectively. The couple flew to Malaysia from Bangladesh on June 12 and returned to Taiwan on a charter flight from Malaysia on June 13. They all wore masks and coveralls during the flight, and they didn’t come into contact with their friends or relatives after entry.

The two cases were diagnosed with COVID-19 and received treatment at a local hospital in Bangladesh. The symptoms of Case #444 disappeared on May 26. He tested negative for COVID-19 on May 28 and June 2. Case #445 tested negative for COVID-19 on June 2. The couple didn’t leave home after being discharged from the hospital on June 2. The two cases were asymptomatic when arriving in Taiwan. They voluntarily reported their previous diagnoses of COVID-19 to quarantine officers at the airport upon arrival in Taiwan. After the quarantine officers collected their specimens for testing, they were transported to a group quarantine facility. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the cases on June 15. The cases are currently hospitalized in isolation for medical treatment.

The CECC reported that a cumulative total of 74,409 cases related to COVID-19 have been reported among which COVID-19 has been ruled out in 73,507. Of these reported cases, infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in 445 cases. Of 445 confirmed cases in Taiwan, 354 are imported and 55 are indigenous while 36 are naval crew members aboard the Panshi fast combat support ship. Of the confirmed cases, there have been 7 deaths, and 433 patients have been released from isolation, with the remainder remaining hospitalized in isolation.

Note:
Regarding the news report about the couple failing to wear coveralls as they had stated so upon arrival, the CECC reported that surveillance footage at the airport showed that the couple only wore masks without coveralls. The CECC has instructed the local health department to investigate whether the couple made false health declarations. The couple could be penalized for breaching the Communicable Disease Control Act depending on the result of the investigation.