Taiwan reported 23,813 new local cases of COVID-19 on Friday.
If you take into account the population of each area of Taiwan, the Matsu Islands are a hotspot for the virus. Twenty-eight people have new cases of COVID there in a population of just 13,000. Hualien County is also dealing with a high number of infections, as is Taitung County.
Among Friday’s infections was Taiwan’s first imported case of the Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant. BA.2.75 is spreading rapidly in at least 15 countries worldwide. But scientists aren’t yet sure whether the subvariant is more infectious or whether it causes more severe illness than other subvariants.
Another 86 people have died from COVID-19 in Taiwan. Most were over the age of 80, and less than a third had taken three doses of a COVID vaccine.
Authorities say another 178 people are suffering from moderate or severe symptoms of the disease.
Taiwan also recorded 280 imported cases of COVID-19 on Friday.