The Central Epidemic Command Center under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Centers for Disease Control raised the travel advisory for South Korea to level three, the highest on its scale, Feb. 24.
Given the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea, especially in the city of Daegu and nearby Cheongdo county, the CECC said risk of disease exposure is high and advised against all unnecessary travel to the country.
All foreigners arriving from South Korea starting Feb. 25 are subject to self-quarantine for 14 days upon entry, while returning Taiwan nationals will be asked to undergo the same protocol beginning Feb. 27.
The government has previously issued level three alerts for China, Hong Kong and Macao as part of efforts to prevent domestic spread of the new coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
Visitors in self-quarantine must take their temperatures twice a day, report to authorities if any respiratory symptoms develop and wear tracking devices when required. Failure to do so can lead to a fine of up to NT$150,000 (US$4,940).
The CECC also raised the travel alert for Italy, Japan and Singapore to level two, asking travelers to exercise increased caution, while Iran and Thailand remain on the level one watch list. People arriving from the five nations are currently not subject to quarantine but should carefully monitor their health, the CECC said.
Statistics by the CECC reveal 31 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan as of Feb. 25, with one death. A total of 77,658 cases have been identified in China and 2,110 in 34 other countries and territories. (SFC-E)
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