Taiwan reports new coronavirus case with unknown origin

Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) A woman in Taiwan with no history of overseas travel over the past two years has been infected with COVID-19 coronavirus, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported late Wednesday.

A further investigation will be conducted to determine if the case is the result of community-level transmission of the virus in Taiwan, the center said.

The woman in her 60s living in northern Taiwan, whose precise location was not disclosed by the CEEC, is the 24th person in the country to be confirmed with the respiratory disease. She first came down with a fever and cough on Jan. 22, according to the CECC.

The patient sought medical attention four times at local clinics but was told that she only had a common cold.

Although she was hospitalized with pneumonia on Jan. 30 and transferred to intensive care Feb. 10, the hospital did not take her samples for COVID-19 tests or put her in a negative-pressure isolation ward until Feb. 17.

She was diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday.

It is the second COVID-19 case with unknown origin of infection in Taiwan, after a 61-year-old limousine service driver in central Taiwan died from the virus on Feb. 15.

The CECC has identified 360 people who have had contact with the latest patient since she fell ill and will take their samples for testing.