Taiwan mulls testing people returning from countries stricken by coronavirus

台灣考慮對冠狀病毒疫情嚴重的國家返回的人進行檢查

Testing capacity in Taiwan continues to improve: Health official


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's health ministry is considering a general policy of testing people returning from countries heavily impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) as a way to prevent imported cases from causing community outbreaks.

Deputy Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) said at a Legislative Yuan session on Wednesday (April 15) that the Central Epidemic Command Center has no plans to carry out virus tests on the general public, as there are currently no untraceable community transmissions. However, the ministry is contemplating testing those returning from at-risk countries, such as the U.S., where confirmed cases of the coronavirus have topped other countries' numbers.

The ministry has so far denied that a general and nationwide test is necessary. It contends that people may stop carrying out preventive measures once they test negative for the virus, thus largely increasing their chances of being exposed to it.

Taiwan recorded zero new cases on Tuesday (April 14), and Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) has said this week that the chance of a community outbreak is low, as most coronavirus cases being reported in the country now are imported.

According to the ministry, Taiwan's daily testing capacity currently stands at 3,800 people. In addition, organizations capable of conducting tests have increased from 11 to 34 in recent months.

The coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and later spread to the rest of the world, has infected nearly two million of the world’s population and killed over 126,000 as of Wednesday. The virus has left billions quarantined at home, with businesses and schools closed and countless sports and cultural events postponed.

Taiwan has recorded 393 cases so far. Among them, six patients have died, and 109 have been discharged from hospitals after making a full recovery.