Two new imported cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Taiwan. That’s the word from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday. The two patients are the first cases that Taiwan has recorded in nearly two weeks.
There have been no new domestic infections in 64 days. The total number of cases to date is 445. Seven people have died of COVID-19 in Taiwan, while 433 people have recovered and have been released from the hospital.
The two newest cases are a couple: a man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s. They had been working in Bangladesh from late January to March. They flew to Malaysia last Friday, before returning to Taiwan on a charter flight on Saturday.
CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang said that the male patient reported symptoms beginning on May 23, including a fever, cough, sore throat, sore muscles, and changes to his sense of smell. The female patient reported symptoms beginning two days later. Both patients tested positive for COVID-19 at a hospital in Bangladesh, where they then received treatment.
Chuang said that both patients tested negative on June 2, and were forced to leave the hospital to make room for other patients.
The couple reported their medical history upon returning to Taiwan and were sent to a quarantine center. They both later tested positive for COVID-19 and were sent to the hospital for treatment.