Taiwan Still To Contain Naval COVID-19 Outbreak

COVID-19 continues to claim lives around the world

Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced three more cases of COVID-19 in the country.

All three were involved in the so-called “Fleet of Friendship” that sailed to the Pacific island nation of Palau in mid-March before heading out to sea for almost a month.

Symptoms started in the three as early as March when one of the sailors developed symptoms typical of a common cold and another had problems with their ability to smell properly.

However, the symptoms were only reported three weeks later before confirmation of the COVID-19 virus being present was announced yesterday.

The total number of those infected by the virus in Taiwan has subsequently risen to 425.

In reports from the Taiwanese authorities this figure is broken down into 343 cases being ‘imported’ with clear overseas origins, and 55 cases of ‘local infections’ or community transmissions.

To date the 27 cases of naval personnel are neither classed as imported or local according to sources.

Around the world the COVID-19 pandemic continues to lock down nations and affect both macro and micro economies, many reportedly suffering great financial hardship.

The number of confirmed infections globally has now surpassed 2.5 million with almost 180,000 dying of COVID-19 related causes.

Mark Buckton

Mark is a journalism vet of 20 years with most of those years spent in Tokyo, Japan, as a columnist for The Japan Times and numerous other publications. His work has appeared on CNN, in the BBC, NPR, and in several dozen other media forms and publications across five continents.