All 19 Taiwan nationals evacuated Feb. 21 from the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan, are in 14-day quarantine at three facilities around Taiwan.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the evacuees returned to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on a charter flight run by Taoyuan City-headquartered China Airlines. On-site examination found none of the passengers exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19.
The individuals subsequently underwent two rounds of screening for the new coronavirus behind the disease, with no positive results. All of them are in single rooms and having their body temperatures recorded twice daily for the duration of the stay, the MOHW said.
Last week’s charter flight is the second to arrive from areas affected by coronavirus outbreaks, after 247 Taiwan nationals and their family members flew back Feb. 3 from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 was first reported late last year.
One returnee was later diagnosed with the disease and is receiving treatment in a hospital isolation ward, while the remainder were released from quarantine Feb. 18 after receiving the all-clear.
Statistics by the Central Epidemic Command Center under the MOHW’s Centers for Disease Control reveal 28 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan as of Feb. 23, including one death. A total of 76,936 cases have been identified in China and 1,766 in 30 other countries and territories. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw