CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan reports 80,881 COVID-19 cases, 127 deaths

05/28/2022 04:10 PM

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Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director-General Chou Jih-haw at Saturday's COVID-19 press briefing. Image: CDC's YouTube channel

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) Taiwan recorded 80,881 new COVID-19 cases and another single-day high of 127 deaths on Saturday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

It marks the fifth consecutive day it has recorded more than 80,000 cases in a single day.

The number of cases, which consisted of 80,835 domestic infections and 46 that were contracted abroad, were down from the 94,855 recorded a day earlier, but the death toll of 127 is the highest daily total since the start of the pandemic, CECC data showed.

Of the 127 people who died, who ranged in age from 5 to 100, 118 had chronic illnesses or other severe diseases while 48 had not been vaccinated with a dose of any COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CECC.

The youngest person to die was a 5-year-old boy, who prior to his COVID-19 infection already had a history of a muscular system disease, Lo said.

He later developed pneumonia and respiratory failure after he was infected with COVID-19, Lo said.

Even though the boy was admitted to hospital, his condition deteriorated and he passed away on May 19, Lo said.

Another child death was a 6-year-old boy who developed abdominal pain and a mild fever of 37.7 degrees Celsius on May 8, Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, said at the CECC daily press briefing Saturday.

The boy was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 after PCR testing at a hospital emergency room, Lo said.

The next day, the boy showed convulsions and signs of lack of oxygen and was immediately intubated and admitted into a hospital intensive care unit, Lo said.

A CT scan showed that the boy had a tumor in his cerebellum that put pressure on his brain stem and was causing brain edema, Lo said, adding that an autopsy showed the tumor was malignant.

The boy passed away on May 21 because of neurogenic shock, Lo said.

"Even though the boy was also found to be infected with COVID-19, it was not the main cause of his death, so his death is identified as a comorbidity," Lo said.

The death of the 5-year-old and 6-year-old boys raised the total number of deaths of children because of COVID-19 to 10, Lo said.

More doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered in Taiwan than the government has officially received because recipients of the Moderna booster shot are given half the standard dose of the first and second jab.

The CECC also said Saturday that 115 previously reported COVID-19 cases had become severe, while 293 others had developed moderate symptoms of the disease.

Among the severe cases is a 7-year-old boy, who was born with a metabolic disorder, Lo said.

The boy developed a fever of 39.1 degrees Celsius and other symptoms, including convulsions on May 24, Lo said.

The boy was sent to a hospital emergency room and found to be COVID-19 positive after PCR testing, Lo said, adding that the boy is suspected of having encephalitis and has been intubated and is in a hospital intensive care unit being treated with medication, including the antiviral medication remdesivir.

"The good news is that treatment has been going pretty well and the boy has been off intubation since May 27," Lo said.

According to CECC data, a total of 18 children in Taiwan aged 9 or younger confirmed as getting COVID-19 this year have developed severe complications from the disease.

Of the 1,707,640 domestic cases recorded in Taiwan this year, 1,286 have been classified as severe infections and 3,153 as moderate, accounting for 0.08 percent and 0.18 percent of the total, respectively, according to CECC data as of May 27.

In all other cases, those infected were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, the CECC said.

The figures do not include imported cases reclassified as domestic ones, nor retroactively removed cases. As of May 28, Taiwan recorded 1,788,230 domestic cases in 2022, while the total number of imported cases rose to 12,816 from 2,396 on Jan. 1.

New Taipei reported the highest number of domestic cases Saturday, with 16,001, followed by Kaohsiung with 9,641, Taichung with 9,031, and Taoyuan with 8,999.

Taipei reported 7,998 cases, Tainan 6,666, Changhua County 3,597, Pingtung County 2,648, Hsinchu County 2,509, Miaoli County 2,024, Yilan County 1,870, Hsinchu City 1,759, Yunlin County 1,466, Keelung City 1,433, and Hualien County 1,326.

Chiayi County reported 1,014 cases, Nantou County 997, Taitung County 774, Chiayi City 585, Kinmen County 203, Penghu County 200, and the Matsu Islands 94.

To date, Taiwan has recorded 1,815,703 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 1,802,833 domestic infections.

With 127 deaths reported Saturday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 fatalities in the country rose to 1,911, of which 1,058 have been recorded this year.

(By William Yen)

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