The mayor of Taoyuan says the local hospital at the center of a recent COVID-19 outbreak may reopen this coming Saturday. Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan says that if officials approve the move, Taoyuan General Hospital will “slowly resume operation”.
The hospital is the epicenter of a recent COVID-19 cluster infection. The outbreak began in mid-January when a doctor at the hospital was infected by a COVID-19 patient. As of Wednesday, 19 cases have been linked to the cluster.
Mayor Cheng says that authorities will finish testing and inspecting the site on Friday. If that all goes to plan and the hospital passes a safety assessment, the hospital can begin to reopen the following day. Cheng says reopening Taoyuan General Hospital will ease pressure on Taoyuan’s other hospitals during the Lunar New Year period. But if it cannot reopen, Cheng says those hospitals should find staff to take on the additional care responsibilities.
Cheng also says authorities will meet next Monday to discuss the possible reopening of schools and workplaces after the Lunar New Year. He is asking municipal workers to “mentally prepare” for being unable to go on holiday over the New Year period. He says pandemic prevention must come first.