Taiwan reports first imported COVID-19 case from Nigeria

Taiwan on Friday (Jan. 8) reported three new Wuhan coronavirus cases imported from Nigeria, Egypt, and the U.S.

On Friday, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang announced three new imported cases of COVID-19, bringing the country’s total number to 825. The latest cases include a Taiwanese man, a Taiwanese woman, and an Egyptian girl.

The two Taiwanese had submitted negative COVID test results taken within three days of their flight, while the Egyptian girl did not undergo testing until she arrived in Taiwan. All three went directly to quarantine facilities upon arrival in Taiwan.

According to Chuang, case No. 824 is a Taiwanese man in his 70s who had been on a business trip to Nigeria. On Dec. 24, he developed a fever, shortness of breath, and felt weak, reports Taiwan News.

Because the symptoms worsened, he went to a local hospital for treatment on Dec. 27 and was diagnosed with pneumonia. He took two tests for the coronavirus, but both came back negative.

He then decided to return to Taiwan for medical treatment and applied for an international emergency medical flight. He received approval and arrived in Taiwan on Jan. 5, when he was immediately placed in a hospital isolation ward.

On Jan. 8, he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Due to the fact that all persons on his flight wore proper protective gear, the health department has not listed any contacts in his case.

Chuang stated that case No. 825 is an Egyptian girl under the age of 10. Because her family works in Taiwan, she often flies back and forth between Egypt and Taiwan, with her most recent departure from the latter being October 2020.

When she arrived in Taiwan on Jan. 5 with three of her family members, she did not report experiencing any symptoms of the disease to quarantine officers. Because she is relatively young, she was not able to undergo the COVID-19 test in Egypt.

Therefore, it was not until she arrived at the airport in Taiwan that she underwent a test for the coronavirus, which was paid out of pocket by her family. On Jan. 8, she was diagnosed with COVID-19.

The health department has identified a total of nine contacts in her case, including six passengers who sat directly in front of and behind her and three adult family members who were on the same flight. All nine have been told to begin home isolation.

In addition, although her three family members had already submitted proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within three days before their flight, they have arranged to be tested again for the virus and are awaiting the results.

Case No. 826 is a Taiwanese woman in her 20s who went to the U.S. to study in August last year. Starting on Jan. 1, she had a cough, sore throat, and runny nose.

As she received a negative result on a nucleic acid test for the disease on Jan. 2, she did not seek medical treatment. When she returned to Taiwan on Jan. 6, she voluntarily reported her symptoms to quarantine officers.

That same day, she underwent a test for the coronavirus and was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Jan. 8. The health department has identified a total of 11 contacts in her case, all of whom were passengers who sat in the two rows directly in front of and behind her on the flight to Taiwan. They have all been told to begin home isolation.

Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has carried out 130,891 COVID-19 tests, with 128,673 coming back negative. Out of the 825 officially confirmed cases, 730 were imported, 56 were local, 36 came from the Navy’s “Goodwill Fleet,” two were from the cargo pilot cluster, one is an unresolved case, and one (case No. 530) was removed as a confirmed case.

Up until now, seven individuals have succumbed to the disease, while 714 have been released from hospital isolation, leaving 104 patients still undergoing treatment in Taiwan. (New Telegraph/News Agency)