CORONAVIRUS/Employee at Grand Hotel in Taipei tests positive for COVID-19

Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) A pastry chef working at Taipei's Grand Hotel has been diagnosed with COVID-19, but tests on her colleagues have so far been negative for the disease, the hotel announced late Saturday.

Chen Kai-huang (陳愷璜), deputy manager of the landmark hotel, said the chef had informed management in the morning that a family member had been confirmed for COVID-19.

An arrangement was immediately made for the chef to receive a PCR test at a hospital, and the result came back positive, Chen said, indicating that the employee who works in a kitchen at the basement of the hotel is now hospitalized.

Disinfection of the premises is being carried out, he added.

According to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), the Grand Hotel employee is a woman in her 20s who developed a cough on Friday, and a subsequent COVID-19 test showed a cycle threshold (CT) value of 13, indicating a high viral load.

In its release, the CECC said authorities are currently working to identify all possible contacts linked to the case, and that more details will be disclosed at the CECC's press briefing on Sunday.

Update

Jan. 23: Taiwan reports 89 new COVID-19 cases, including 52 domestic