Taipei Agricultural Products cluster infection started with tea parlor visit in Wanhua

台北農產品群聚感染始於萬華茶館

TAPMC cluster rises to 89 cases, including in Nanmen, Yongle, Lingjiang, and Dongmen markets


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the COVID-19 cluster infection involving wholesale markets operated by the Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Corporation (TAPMC, 臺北農產運銷公司) climbs, the organization's general manager said the first confirmed case had visited a tea parlor in last month's COVID-stricken district of Wanhua.

On Monday (June 28) the number of cases tied to the TAPMC cluster rose to 89, with new cases being reported at Nanmen, Yongle, and Linjiang markets, among others. Among the new cases being reported across Taipei, six were in Nanmen Market, one in Yongle Market, one in Linjiang Market, one in Beitou Market, and one in Dongmen Market, reported China Times.

According to CNA, TAPMC General Manager Weng Chen-hsin (翁震炘) was questioned by Taipei City Councilors Lin Ruey-tu (林瑞圖) and Lin Ying-meng (林穎孟) about the source of the outbreak.

Lin Ruey-tu asked when the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was confirmed at TAPMC as well as whether Weng had notified the Taipei City Government and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. He also asked why TAPMC did not implement epidemic prevention measures until after June 20 and why it had not explained the source of the cluster infection.

Lin Ying-meng asked whether the first confirmed case from the cluster had been to a tea parlor in Wanhua and whether that district was the origin of the TAPMC outbreak. She then asserted that it is important to clearly explain the transmission chain to the public to enable them to understand that it had not started from within TAPMC markets.

In response, Weng said that the first confirmed TAPMC case was a fruit and vegetable wholesale employee who was diagnosed on May 20. They first underwent rapid screening on May 17 after starting to experience symptoms of the virus.

Weng said that the health department had notified the corporation of the positive diagnosis. He said that TAPMC then carried out contact tracing and screening in accordance with health department guidelines.

Weng added that the first confirmed case had said they had recently visited Wanhua and that they had dined at a tea parlor there.