As the number of local COVID-19 transmissions continues to grow in Taiwan, the army is helping local governments carry out disinfections of public areas.
Soldiers from the Taiwanese army’s chemical corps spray disinfectant in every nook and cranny at the Taoyuan Airport light rail terminal in Taipei. They were dispatched to work with Taipei City’s Department of Environmental Protection and carry out large-scale disinfections ahead of an expected travel peak over the Lunar New Year.
City government official Chen Chien-liang says that he expects disinfection work at Taipei’s train and light rail stations to last two days.
Of particular attention are concourses, ticket offices, bathrooms and stairwells at major stations. Increased disinfection measures will also be applied to 10 types of public spaces, including quarantine hotels, taxi rest areas, parks, night markets, and department stores.
Also in Taipei, the National Taiwan Science Education Center was closed on Monday morning for disinfection. Authorities say that a person later confirmed as infected with COVID-19 visited the location on Thursday, prompting the center to partially close for three days. Parents unaware of the closure were turned away at the door.
One local parent, however, says she is not overly concerned about the possibility of infection as long as she wears a mask and avoids places visited by the infected.
The patient also went to an amusement park next door, but not all details of that incident have yet been released.
People are reminded to wash hands and wear face masks as domestic infection numbers continue to rise in Taiwan.