'Taiwan, a Model Country for Quarantine, Reports Local COVID-19 Infection After 8 Months'

Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] After more than eight months, a local COVID-19 infection has occurred in Taiwan, a model country for COVID-19 prevention.

According to major foreign media on the 22nd (local time), the Taiwanese government announced that a woman in her 30s, a friend of a New Zealand pilot who tested positive for COVID-19 on the 20th, was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on the same day.

This is the first case of local infection in Taiwan, not imported from abroad, since April 12, about eight months ago.

The Taiwanese government disclosed the movements of the New Zealand national confirmed case and is conducting COVID-19 tests on 167 people who had contact with the woman.

Chen Shizhong, Minister of Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "The New Zealand national confirmed case did not accurately disclose the people he met and places he visited," adding, "He may have violated Taiwan's Communicable Disease Control Act."

According to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CECC), as of this day, Taiwan's cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases is 771, with a total of 7 deaths.