Taiwan reported 16,518 new cases of COVID-19 and 22 deaths from the disease on Wednesday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
The number of new cases represented a 21.4-percent decline from the same day a week earlier, CECC data showed.
The deceased ranged in age from under 5 to their 90s. All but four had underlying health issues, while 11 of them had not received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as recommended by experts, the CECC said.
The CECC said the youngest death was a 4-year-old boy who had gotten one vaccine jab and had no known health conditions. He died from COVID-19, acute encephalitis, hydrocephalus, myocarditis, and multiple organ failure.
Meanwhile, the CECC said 38 (3.8 percent) of the 995 travelers arriving directly from China on Jan. 23 tested positive for the disease, while none of the 21 travelers who went from Xiamen to Kinmen and Matsu did so.
Also on Wednesday, the CECC reported 33 new cases classified as moderate and 20 as severe.
Regional breakdown
Regionally, New Taipei recorded the highest number of new cases, with 3,240, followed by Kaohsiung with 1,907 and Taoyuan with 1,815.
Taichung reported 1,742 new cases, Taipei 1,640, Tainan 1,327, Changhua 857, Hsinchu County 510, Miaoli 420, Hsinchu City 410, Pingtung 408, and Yunlin 380.
Keelung had 305 cases, Yilan 272, Nantou 267, Chiayi County 249, Hualien 184, Chiayi City 165, Taitung 101, Kinmen 77, Penghu 52, and the Matsu Islands one, the CECC said.
To date, Taiwan has recorded 9,384,996 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 47,506 classified as imported.
With the 22 deaths reported on Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 fatalities in the country rose to 16,168.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel