CORONAVIRUS/Home isolation/quarantine subjects to get compensation

Taipei, March 10 (CNA) Individuals subject to home isolation or home quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus are entitled to monetary compensation for the mandatory movement constraints on them, according to a Cabinet bulletin released Tuesday.

Such persons, as well as any of their family members who take unpaid leave to attend to the isolated or quarantined, will get NT$1,000 (US$33.35) per day in compensation, according to the bulletin, which was in the form of a directive from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The compensation measure is retroactive to Jan. 15.

Under the order, which sets forth "Regulations Governing Compensation for Periods of Isolation and Quarantine for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens," the compensation-entitled caregiver is limited to the family member of the home quarantined without self-care ability in daily life, such as children under the age of 12.

For each person quarantined in isolation, only one caregiver is entitled to the NT$1,000 compensation per day, according to the regulations.

In Taiwan, those who have had contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are subject to home isolation for 14 days, while those arriving from China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Iran and Italy -- the countries listed in the Level 3 Warning of Taiwan's three-tier travel advisory system -- are subject to mandatory 14-day home quarantine.

As of Tuesday, Taiwan had recorded 47 confirmed COVID-19 cases with one fatality.