On March 16, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced eight new confirmed cases (Cases #60-67) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan. Case #60 is an over-20-year-old female who resides in the middle part of Taiwan. Case #60 traveled alone to Italy, Greece, and Germany from February 9 to March 11, and returned to Taiwan on March 12. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on March 16. Related investigation suggests a higher possibility that Case #60 was infected with the novel coronavirus during her travel in Europe. Preliminary investigation has identified a total of 11 individuals who had contact with the case.
Case #61 is an over-50-year-old female who resides in southern Taiwan. Case #61 visited Austria and the Czech Republic with a tour group from March 5 to March 14. She had a fever when returning to Taiwan on March 14, and tested positive for COVID-19 on March 16. Preliminary investigation has identified a total of 20 individuals who had contact with the patient, including people in the same tour group. Furthermore, at least one of Case #61’s family member who traveled with her developed a fever on March 15, and is currently being treated in a negative pressure ward.
Case #62 an over-60-year-old female who resides in northern Taiwan. Case #62 visited her relatives in the Philippines with a member of her family from March 7 to March 14. She developed symptoms including fever and cough in the Philippines, and was tested for COVID-19 after returning to Taiwan on March 14. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in the case on March 16. Two of her family members have no suspected symptoms.
Case #63 is an over-50-year-old male who resides in northern Taiwan. Case #63 visited Egypt with the same tour group as Case #55 from March 3 to March 12. A total of 98 contacts related to this travel cluster have been identified so far. Except for Case #63 who tested positive for COVID-19, the remaining contacts haven’t developed suspected symptoms.
Case #64 is an over-20-year-old male who went to Spain for study in August, 2019. Case #64 decided to return to Taiwan as a confirmed case occurred on the campus. He arrived in Taiwan on March 12, and tested positive for COVID-19 on March 16. Cases #65 and #66 are two females in their 50s. Case #67 is an over-60-year-old male. Three patients reside in southern Taiwan. The three patients traveled to Turkey (with the same tour group as Cases #56 and #57) from March 4 to March 13. They began to develop symptoms on March 14, and were tested on March 15. Infection with COVID-19 was laboratory-confirmed in three cases on March 16. So far, a total of five individuals from the same travel group as Case #56 have been confirmed to have COVID-19. The CECC continues to trace other individuals having contact with the cases.