Health Minister Chen Shih-chung has common symptoms of COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus on Sunday. Officials say Chen is isolating and will continue to monitor his health while working from home.
At 68 years old, Chen is at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill. He also has pre-existing health conditions, including a history of smoking and a coronary stent. But Chen has had three doses of a COVID vaccine.
It isn’t clear whether the health minister is taking antiviral medication.
Chen’s close contacts have been told that they may have been exposed to COVID. Health officials Chou Jih-haw and Chuang Jen-hsiang have tested negative. The two officials often take part in Taiwan’s daily COVID briefings alongside Chen.