Fifteen of the 16 new domestic cases reported in Taiwan Tuesday have been linked to known cluster infections, but the source of one case reported in Kaohsiung remains unclear, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
Ten of the 16 new cases tested positive after they were placed in quarantine after being listed as close contacts of other recently confirmed cases, CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (???) said in a recorded video.
Nine of the new cases were reported in Kaohsiung, including the one of unknown origin — a male in his 40s who entered Taiwan on Jan. 10 and underwent hotel quarantine, testing negative on Jan. 23, Chuang said, adding that the man traveled around the southern port city from Jan. 25-30.
The man’s teenage son was also confirmed to be positive Monday, after he traveled back to Kaohsiung from New Taipei last week, according to CECC data.
The source of infection for the man and his son is being investigated, Chuang said.
The other eight cases in Kaohsiung include two linked to cluster infections related to the Port of Kaohsiung, while six are believed to be part of the cluster in southern Taiwan that first began in a hotel in Yilan County, according to Chuang.
In Taoyuan, the number of domestic cases recorded this year climbed to 302, including seven reported on Tuesday, according to the CDC website.
The seven cases have been linked to various infections previously confirmed in the city, where the first domestic case of the ongoing wave of mainly Omicron variant cases was reported on Jan. 3, according to the CECC.
Nine of the new cases were classified as breakthrough infections, while six children under the age of 10 and a man over the age of 40 had not received any vaccine doses, according to CECC data.
In addition to the domestic cases, Taiwan also reported 44 imported cases on Tuesday, seven of whom were passengers who tested positive upon arrival in Taiwan between Sunday and Monday. The CECC did not release any information regarding the vaccination status of the imported cases.
To date, Taiwan has confirmed 18,850 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 15,081 domestically transmitted infections.
With no deaths reported on Tuesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the country remains at 851.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel