Taiwan on Friday reported 24,350 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
The new cases represented a 34.9-percent increase from the same day a week earlier, CECC data showed.
The deceased included two women in their 20s, both of whom suffered from severe chronic illnesses and were bedridden.
All but two of the 15 of the deaths reported Friday had underlying health issues, while 11 of them had not received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as recommended by the government, the CECC said.
Meanwhile, the CECC said 24 of the 1,349 travelers (1.8 percent) arriving directly from China on Jan. 25 tested positive for the disease, while all of the 38 people who traveled from Xiamen to Kinmen or Matsu tested negative.
Also on Friday, the CECC reported 28 new COVID-19 cases classified as moderate and 16 as severe.
Regional breakdown
Regionally, New Taipei recorded the highest number of new cases, with 4,910, followed by Taoyuan with 2,778 and Kaohsiung with 2,768.
Taichung reported 2,710 new cases, Taipei 2,425, Tainan 1,947, Changhua 1,031, Hsinchu County 805, Miaoli 643, Pingtung 565, Yunlin 521, and Hsinchu City 519.
Keelung had 477 cases, Yilan 437, Nantou 396, Chiayi County 331, Hualien 295, Chiayi City 223, Taitung 148, Kinmen 98, Penghu 75 and the Matsu Islands seven, the CECC said.
To date, Taiwan has recorded 9,428,486 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 47,860 classified as imported.
With the 15 deaths reported on Friday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 fatalities in the country rose to 16,204.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel