Taiwan reported four new local cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Authorities also reported 58 more imported cases among people arriving in Taiwan. There were no deaths reported.
All four new local cases were already announced by local government officials in Taoyuan City on Thursday night.
The new local cases include a security guard who works at Taoyuan International Airport, the center of the recent cluster of cases. Health officials say the guard works in areas of the airport with passengers, so it is possible she was infected by a person arriving in Taiwan.
The other three cases are all connected to a social club in Taoyuan City. One of the cleaning staff confirmed with COVID-19 earlier this week had attended a large New Year’s Eve event at the club. The three new cases include a 58-year-old male taxi driver, along with a 59-year-old woman and her sister.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says one reason to be optimistic is that the family members of the initial airport cluster have all tested negative. Chen says authorities will continue to monitor the health of potential contacts and carry out follow-up tests.
Taiwan also recorded 58 imported cases of COVID-19 on Friday. They include 35 travelers from the United States; four from France; three from the UK; two from Switzerland, Vietnam and India; and one each from Austria, Chile, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mexico, Spain, and Costa Rica.