On January 16, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced seven new confirmed imported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan. The seven new cases arrived in Taiwan from the Philippines, Indonesia, the United States, and Russia, and South Africa.
Case #845 and Case #846 are two male migrant workers from the Philippines. The two Philippine migrant workers traveled to Taiwan to work on December 24, 2020, and stayed at group quarantine facilities for quarantine. They haven’t developed any symptoms since arrival. The two migrant workers were tested for COVID-19 on January 6, 2021, before completing the quarantine period, and they both tested negative. After completing the self-health management period, they took self-paid tests, and infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the cases on January 16.
Case #847 is an over 50-year-old man from Russia. The Russian man came to Taiwan on January 5, 2021, and arrived without symptoms. When he stayed at a quarantine hotel to undergo quarantine, he developed an abnormal sense of smell on January 13. The health authority then arranged for him to be tested for COVID-19. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on January 16.
Case #848 is an over 20-year-old fisherman from Indonesia. The fisherman traveled to Taiwan for work on December 27, 2020. He hasn’t experienced any symptoms since arrival. After completing the quarantine period on January 14, 2021, his labor broker arranged for him to visit the hospital to take a self-paid COVID-19 test. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on January 16.
Case #849 is an over 40-year-old fisherman from the Philippines. The Philippine fisherman came to Taiwan to work on December 30, 2020. He hasn’t developed any symptoms since arrival. After completing the quarantine period on January 14, 2021, his labor broker arranged from him to take a self-paid COVID-19 test. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on January 16.
Case #850 is a Taiwanese woman in her 40s and is a family member of Case #817. They returned to Taiwan from the United States together on January 3, 2021. She voluntarily notified airport quarantine officers that she experienced discomfort, and her specimen was collected for COVID-19 testing upon arrival. The test result came back negative. She later began to experience a cough and an abnormal sense of taste. The health authority then arranged for her to seek medical attention and undergo testing on January 13. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on January 16.
Case #851 is a Taiwanese man in his 30s. The man worked in South Africa for an extended period of time and returned to Taiwan on December 16, 2020. During the self-health management period, he experienced diarrhea on January 6, 2021. The man visited the hospital to take a self-paid test on January 14. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on January 16.
The CECC reported that a cumulative total of 136,518 cases related to COVID-19 have been reported in Taiwan among which COVID-19 has been ruled out in 133,857. Of these reported cases, infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in 850 cases. Of the 850 confirmed cases, 750 are imported; 58 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 751 patients have been released from isolation, with the other 92 patients remaining hospitalized in isolation.