RECOVERY: Premier Su Tseng-chang said the special budget is to be unveiled within a week and hopefully the bill would pass in time to tide over hard-hit sectors

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 21, 2020
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

The Executive Yuan yesterday unveiled a special bill for COVID-19 prevention, relief and recovery

that includes a proposed maximum fine of NT$1 million (US$33,053) for people who break their quarantine.

People who break a home quarantine would face a fine of NT$100,000 to NT$1 million, while those who break a quarantine at a government-designated quarantine center would face a fine of NT$200,000 to NT$1 million, the bill states.

Firms that voluntarily pay quarantined employees, or employees who take leave to care for children under quarantine, would benefit from a break in “profit-seeking enterprise income tax” of up to twice the salary payout, it states.

People who are furloughed after being placed under government-designated quarantine or home quarantine may request compensation from health authorities within two years, it states.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 020 February, 2020
By: Paula Chao

President Tsai Ing-wen says excluding Taiwan from global epidemic prevention is a violation of people’s right to health. Tsai was speaking Thursday while meeting with Randall Schriver.

The former US defense department official is the president of the Project 2049 Institute, a think tank based in Washington, DC.

Tsai said Taiwan shouldn’t be barred from entering the World Health Organization due to political factors.

She talked about the global impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. The new coronavirus, called COVID-19, originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December. Taiwan has 24 confirmed infections, including one death.    [FULL  STORY]

Wishful thinking?

The National Interest
Date: February 19, 2020
By: David Axe

Key point: Even a limited attack could backfire for China.

The Chinese military still lacks the ability decisively to conquer Taiwan by way of a full-scale amphibious invasion, according to the 2019 edition of the U.S. Defense Department’s annual report on Chinese military developments.

“An attempt to invade Taiwan would likely strain China’s armed forces and invite international intervention,” the report concludes.

But the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s amphibious capabilities steadily have improved in recent years. It might not be long before Beijing’s forces safely can conduct a major assault across the Taiwan Strait.

“The PLAN is the region’s largest navy, with more than 300 surface combatants, submarines, amphibious ships, patrol craft and specialized types,” the report explains. “It is also an increasingly modern and flexible force. The PLAN is rapidly replacing obsolescent, generally single-purpose platforms in favor of larger, multi-role combatants featuring advanced anti-ship, anti-air and anti-submarine weapons and sensors.”    [FULL  STORY]

Bottles of 75% alcohol now available at FamilyMart stores across Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 02020/02/20
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the panic buying of face masks and disinfectants out of fear of the Wuhan coronavirus continues to grip Taiwan, convenience store chain FamilyMart began sales of 75 percent alcohol on Wednesday (Feb. 19).

At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, FamilyMart stores across Taiwan commenced sales of bottles of 75 percent alcohol produced by Taiwan Sugar Corporation (Taisugar, TSC). However, Taisugar clarified that only five bottles will be sold per day at each shop and that each customer will be limited to one bottle while supplies last.

Taisugar said that since the transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can take place through contact with surfaces that contain the virus, frequent handwashing and disinfection are important ways to prevent the spread of the disease. It said that the use of 75 percent alcohol can achieve the effect of thorough cleaning and exhorted people to buy just enough for their own needs and not hoard the product.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan0
Date: 02/20/2020
By: Ku Chuan and Chiang Yi-ching

Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) The Cabinet approved Thursday a draft law designed to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said the Cabinet will put forth a NT$60 billion (US$2 billion) special budget bill for the plan next week.

The proposal, to be financed through tax surpluses from previous fiscal years, includes measures that will help areas most affected by the outbreak, such as the restaurant/beverage sector, tourism and transportation.

It will also provide subsidies to medical personnel involved in epidemic prevention efforts, as well as tax breaks to companies that are willing to pay their employees if they have to undergo quarantine.
[FULL  STORY8]

HOMEWARD BOUND: Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung confirmed that a charter flight is to return Taiwanese from the ‘Diamond Princess’

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 20, 2020
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporte

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced the nation’s 23th confirmed

case of COVID-19 and said that Taiwanese passengers on the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan, would likely return home on a charter flight tomorrow.

The new case is the 60-year-old sister of the nation’s 19th case — a 61-year-old taxi driver who on Saturday last week became the first in Taiwan to die from COVID-19, shortly after testing positive, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.

The driver’s 51-year-old brother and 81-year-old mother, who lived with him, have also tested positive, while the driver’s nephew-in-law, who joined them at a family reunion lunch on Jan. 27, was on Monday confirmed to be infected.

The driver’s sister also joined the family reunion and sat close to him, Chen said, adding that she has experienced respiratory symptoms and was hospitalized on Monday.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International;
Date: 18 February, 2020
By: Paula Chao

President Tsai Ing-wen says Taiwan’s experience in containing the new coronavirus or COVID-19 is worth sharing with the world. Taiwan has 22 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Tsai was speaking Tuesday while meeting with three Permanent Representatives to the United Nations from allied countries. 

Tsai’s comments came after 242 of the 247 Taiwanese who were on the first charter flight from Wuhan were released from quarantine Tuesday morning. Of the five who were not released, one is a confirmed case and four are in the hospital. Tsai spoke about Taiwan’s experience:
[FULL  STORY]

An employee who exhibited flu-like symptoms on their return from Taiwan was asked to self-isolate

KentLive.news
Date: 18 FEB 2020
By: Stela Gineva

We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see ourPrivacy Noticefor details of your data protection rights

A Saga employee who was asked to self-isolate after developing flu symptoms on their return from Taiwan has tested negative for the illness.

The individual's immediate colleagues, who work at the Folkestone town centre Middelburg headquarters, were asked to work from home yesterday (February 17) as a precaution.

All offices remained opened despite the scare.

The worker developed the symptoms after travelling through Taiwan airport on their return from Australia.    [FULL  STORY]

Workers on unpaid leave are advised to sign up for training and receive government subsidies

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/02/18
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Workers furloughed due to the impact of the Wuhan virus will receive up to NT$18,960 (US$629) a month in subsidies, according to Taiwan’s labor authorities.

The Ministry of Labor (MOL) is slated to publish an amended version of a “recharge program” on Friday (Feb. 21) aimed to provide financial assistance to laborers who are forced to curtail their work hours or take unpaid leave as a result of the economic ramifications of the outbreak.

Affected individuals are invited to participate in training courses conducted by the government, with registration running from Feb. 21 through Aug. 31. Participants will be paid NT$158 per hour, the statutory minimum wage, and each individual can enlist in a maximum of 120 hours of training.

The classes will be held until the end of this year. Interested employees are advised to call the hotline at 0800-777888 or visit the TaiwanJobs website.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/18/2020
By: Chen Wei-ting, Chen Yi-hsuan and Ko Lin

Taipei, Feb. 18 (CNA) A company in Taichung's Tanzi District said it has suspended all business Tuesday until March 1 after a family member of one of its employees was confirmed as having contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The workers have been instructed to go home and self-quarantine, during which time the company will not take any orders or ship any products, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

According to local news reports, the company was thoroughly disinfected by Taichung Environmental Protection Bureau earlier in the day, with some speculating that it is in the woodworking sector.

Taiwan officials declined to confirm if the employee mentioned in the company's statement was a family member of a 61-year-old man who offered limousine service, who on Sunday became Taiwan's first death from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).    [FULL  STORY]