CECC mulls disclosing more information on certain COVID-19 cases

Taipei, March 35 (CNA) The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday it will consider releasing more information on people infected with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) where their occupation creates a public interest to do so.

Following confirmation that two China Airlines (CAL) pilots contracted the disease, it is possible more information will be released because of their interactions with the public, said Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who also heads the CECC.

Chen said the issue will be discussed by experts to determine what kind of information and to what extent making it pubic could help prevent community outbreak.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Transport Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) confirmed that two CAL cargo flight pilots have been diagnosed with COVID-19, prompting concerns over the number of people potentially at risk of infection.

Chen said everyone who came into high-risk contact with the pilots will be notified, adding that it is worth considering what information should be disclosed.

To ease the financial burden on the aviation industry, if pilots and cabin crew stay in hotels and continue with their next flight assignment, they are currently only subject to five-days of home quarantine instead of the usual 14 days.

Chen said the CECC will discuss with airlines and the transport ministry how to improve employee health management.

Although the CECC does not release information on COVID-19 cases to protect the privacy of those infected, some companies or organizations, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Academia Sinica, have made public the fact that their employees were infected with the disease.

Wang said the ministry has asked CAL to submit a report about the comings and goings of the pilots when they were outside Taiwan, to better track their movements.