The health ministry says that Taiwan’s hospitals are prepared to handle the possible spread of a new coronavirus that has arrived from China.
The virus, officially named 2019-nCoV, is responsible for an outbreak of pneumonia centered on the Chinese city of Wuhan. The virus has since spread through China and beyond. Over 400 cases have been confirmed and at least nine have died.
Taiwan reported its first confirmed case of the virus late on Tuesday. The previous day, a Taiwanese woman who lives in Wuhan told quarantine officials at Taoyuan International Airport that she had been suffering from pneumonia symptoms. She was immediately put into quarantine, where testing confirmed that she had contracted 2019-nCoV. Officials are monitoring the condition of crew members and fellow passengers who were on her flight to Taiwan.
Taiwan is stepping up measures meant to prevent an outbreak. However, health ministry official Shih Chung-liang said Wednesday that there is no need for people to be excessively concerned. Shih said that hospitals have emergency response plans in place.
He said that Taiwan has 200 hospitals that can test suspected cases. In addition, he says that there are over 6000 beds in intensive care units and over 9000 ventilators across Taiwan ready for use if necessary.