CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan's COVID-19 cases hit 600 with confirmation of 3 new ones

Taipei, Nov. 14 (CNA) Taiwan on Saturday confirmed three new imported cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number in the country to 600 since the pandemic began, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

One of the new patients is a Taiwanese woman in her 40s, who returned from the Philippines on Oct. 29 and was tested Wednesday at the end of her 14-day quarantine period, CECC spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at a press briefing.

That first test was inconclusive, however, and she was given two more tests, the last of which showed a definite COVID-19 infection, although she remained asymptomatic, Chuang said.

In one of the other cases, an Indonesian woman in her 30s, who arrived in Taiwan on Nov. 7 to work, developed a light fever, cough and runny nose two days later, and she tested positive for the disease after reporting her symptoms on Friday, he said.

In that case, Taiwan's health authorities have asked 30 people to self-isolate, as they were either on the same flight with the woman or had taken the same vehicle from the airport, Chuang said.

The third case reported Saturday was that of a Croatian man in his 40s, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in his country in July but was said to have fully recovered, according to Chuang.

Three days after arriving in Taiwan on Oct. 29 to start a new job, the man developed a stuffy nose while in quarantine but did not report it because he thought he was suffering from allergies, Chuang said.

Upon completion of his quarantine Friday, the man was required to have a self-paid COVID-19 test, in keeping with his company's regulations, and the results came back positive, Chuang said.

According to the CECC, three of the man's colleagues, who had a meal with him Friday, have been asked to self-isolate.

To date, Taiwan has confirmed a total of 600 COVID-19 cases, 508 of which have been classified as imported.

Of the total number, 535 people have recovered, seven have died, and 58 remain in the hospital, according to CECC statistics as of Saturday.