CORONAVIRUS/Close to 40 percent of imported COVID-19 cases found at border: CECC

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) Close to 40 percent of the country's COVID-19 coronavirus cases were found by Taiwan's border control officials, reflecting the country's success at keeping the virus at bay, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday.

At a daily press briefing, CECC deputy chief Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) said that out of the 352 confirmed imported cases to date, a total of 138 infections were found by border control authorities, accounting for 39 percent of the country's confirmed imported cases.

"Border control plays a very important role in virus prevention and we thank all of the personnel and staff for their contributions to safeguarding Taiwan," Chen said.

The last imported infection was on June 1, a woman in her 50s who went to the United States in March for work and returned to Taiwan on May 31.

Upon arrival in Taiwan, the woman informed quarantine officials that she was suffering from symptoms and was immediately tested for COVID-19 and placed in quarantine, before being treated at a hospital when her test results proved positive.

Such measures prevent the virus from infiltrating communities within the country.

Furthermore, over 6,000 tests have been administered for symptomatic patients at airports and seaports, Chen said, adding that another some-150,000 home quarantine notices have been distributed.

In Taiwan, everyone arriving from overseas is subject to 14 days of mandatory home quarantine to reduce the spread of the coronavirus into the community and avoid the collapse of the country's medical system, Chen said.

To date, Taiwan has recorded 443 cases of the disease, with seven deaths, and has been commended by many countries around the world for its coronavirus prevention efforts.

In addition to the 352 imported cases, 55 are believed to be local infections, while the other 36 cases were found aboard a naval vessel that was on a goodwill mission in the Pacific in March, a cluster infection that the CECC says originated in Taiwan.