On March 13, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced the 50th confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan. The case is an over-50-year-old American male who works in Taiwan and resides in middle part of Taiwan on his own. Case #50 hosted four friends, two couples, from the United States on February 24, who all left Taiwan on February 26. Case #50 developed symptoms including chills, cough and fever on February 27, March 4 and March 7. He sought medical attention and was admitted to a hospital for medical treatment on March 7. The hospital collected his specimen for COVID-19 testing and reported the case to health agencies on March 10. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on March 13. Case #50 is being treated in a negative pressure isolation ward.

With respect to the four American friends Case #50 hosted on February 24, one developed chills, cough and tiredness on February 24, and the person’s partner also showed symptoms after leaving Taiwan on February 26. Moreover, at least a member of this couple’s family in the United States was later diagnosed with COVID-19. One of the other two American friends also developed respiratory symptoms after leaving Taiwan on February 26. Based on Case #50’s exposure history before the onset of symptoms, there is a higher possibility that Case #50 was infected with the novel coronavirus via contact with his friends from the United States.