CORONAVIRUS/105 COVID-19 deaths, most since July 15, reported in Taiwan

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) Taiwan on Friday reported 105 deaths attributable to COVID-19, the first time since mid-July 2022 that the single-day death toll exceeded 100, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

The CECC attributed the surge to a buildup of cases during the Lunar New Year break, during which many medical institutions were closed, and it expected the daily number of deaths to decrease starting Saturday.

The deceased reported Friday ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s. All but five had underlying health issues, and 47 had not received even one vaccine jab against the disease, the CECC said.

Meanwhile, the number of travelers arriving in Taiwan from China who tested positive for COVID-19 remained low.

Of the 1,103 travelers (1.1 percent) arriving at Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport directly from China on Feb. 1, 12 tested positive for the disease, while none of the 99 people who took a ferry from Xiamen to the nearby Taiwan-held Kinmen or Matsu islands did so.

Also on Friday, the CECC reported 278 new COVID-19 cases classified as moderate and 96 as severe.

In terms of overall cases, Taiwan reported 25,477 new COVID-19 cases Friday.

Regional breakdown

Regionally, New Taipei recorded the highest number, with 4,875, followed by Taichung with 3,115 and Kaohsiung with 3,055.

Taoyuan reported 2,875 new cases, Tainan 2,076, Taipei 2,025, Changhua 1,197, Hsinchu County 815, Pingtung 627, Miaoli 619, Hsinchu City 579 and Yunlin 559.

Yilan had 539 cases, Keelung 473, Nantou 382, Chiayi County 350, Hualien 345, Taitung 227, Chiayi City 197, Penghu 84, Kinmen 82 and the Matsu Islands eight, the CECC said.

To date, Taiwan has recorded 9,622,129 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 49,370 classified as imported.

With the 105 deaths reported on Friday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 fatalities in the country rose to 16,535.

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Recent cases

Feb. 2: Taiwan reports 27,085 new COVID-19 cases, 74 deaths

Feb. 1: Taiwan reports 31,801 new COVID-19 cases, 48 deaths

Jan. 31: Taiwan reports 32,287 new COVID-19 cases, 32 deaths

Jan. 30: Taiwan reports 22,291 new COVID-19 cases, 30 deaths

Jan. 29: Taiwan reports 27,350 new COVID-19 cases, 22 deaths

Jan. 28: Taiwan reports 27,444 new COVID-19 cases, 20 deaths

Jan. 27: Taiwan reports 24,350 new COVID-19 cases, 15 deaths

Latest COVID-19 rules

● Revised protocol for hospital visits from Dec. 10

● Taiwan to stop paying COVID medical fees for certain foreign nationals

● Taiwan to remove weekly arrival cap on Dec. 10

● Taiwan's eased mask mandate takes effect on Dec. 1

● Taiwan cuts COVID isolation to 5 days, lifts workplace vaccine mandates (Nov. 14)

● Taiwan to further ease border rules for China, Hong Kong, Macau residents

● Taiwan's new COVID-19 regulations taking effect Nov. 7

● Taiwan's updated COVID-19 protocols for arriving travelers from Oct. 13