CORONAVIRUS/New Taipei to ban on-site dining starting Thursday

New Taipei is banning all on-site dining from Thursday for a week after genome sequencing for a preschool cluster infection in the northern city determined several of the cases were infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (???) announced Wednesday.

The on-site dining ban, to run from Sept. 9 to 15, will apply to all dining and drinking service providers in New Taipei’s restaurants, food courts, supermarkets, traditional markets and night markets, according to Hou.

The city will also close all of its sports centers, gymnasiums, swimming pools, baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, football pitches, and skating rinks from Sept. 9 to 15.

All the city’s cultural venues, such as libraries, will also be closed to the general public during the same period of time, as part of the city’s measures to prevent further spread of the Delta variant, which is currently the most transmittable and contagious variant of the coronavirus.

Hou’s announcement was made after the preschool cluster increased to 23 cases on Wednesday, with 10 having been confirmed as being infected with the Delta variant.

The 23 cases consist of a teacher at the preschool and her husband — who were the first to test positive on Sept. 5 — nine students at the preschool, nine of their family members, and three people who live in the same apartment complex as one of the students.

Meanwhile, Ko Wen-je (???), mayor of neighboring Taipei City, said the capital city will not ban on-site dining for now but he called on residents to make use of food takeaway or deliveries more often and to avoid on-site dining and gatherings for the time being.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel