Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/31/2020
By: Chang Min-hsuan and Ko Lin

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Another case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was confirmed in Taiwan on Friday, bringing the number of cases in the country to 10, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.

The latest victim is a man who had returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Jan. 12 and developed respiratory symptoms on Jan. 22. He subsequently infected his wife, who was confirmed by the CECC on Thursday as having contracted the 2019-nCoV virus.

The symptoms the husband had were too mild to qualify as a suspected 2019-nCoV case when he initially sought medical treatment at a local hospital, according to Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the epidemic response center.

Further tests revealed Friday, however, that the husband was indeed infected with the Wuhan coronavirus, Chen told reporters at a press briefing in Taipei.    [FULL  STORY]

FIGHTING PROFITEERING: The Ministry of Justice said that prosecutors’ offices and judicial agencies would work with police to inspect stores and warehouses for hoarding

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 01, 2020
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

A number of people have been summoned for questioning as the judiciary cracks down on online

rumors regarding the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

People must fact-check and verify with local health authorities when discussing information on the outbreak, Criminal Investigation Bureau officer Chen Pei-te (陳培德) said yesterday, adding that circulating misinformation is punishable by fines of up to NT$3 million (US$99,174).

A Yunlin County woman surnamed Shih (施) was summoned for questioning for claiming on Facebook that the hospital to which she took her baby for a vaccine had a confirmed 2019-nCoV patient, Chen said.

“Shih was asked by a friend, whom she told that the patient with the ‘Wuhan virus’ was at Chiayi Christian Hospital. This was not true, resulting in an investigation by Yunlin prosecutors,” Chen said.
[FULL  STO-RY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 30 January, 2020
By: Paula Chao

The foreign ministry is calling on the WHO to invite Taiwanese experts to events aimed at preventing epidemics.

The WHO has called two meetings to discuss an outbreak of a novel coronavirus centered in China. The outbreak has killed at least 170 and spread to at least 16 other countries, including Taiwan.

On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said that Taiwan’s exclusion from these meetings is regrettable. She said political considerations should not take precedence over the right of Taiwan’s 23 million people to health. Taiwan has so far recorded eight confirmed cases of infection.

Ou said that given Taiwan’s place on the front line against the coronavirus’ spread, Taiwan must be given all information about the outbreak quickly.      [FULL  STORY]

Global Voices
Date: 30 January 2020
By: Filip Noubel

Taiwan finds itself at the frontline of the Wuhan coronavirus also known as the  2019-nCoV coronavirus epidemic given the multiple ways that it is connected to China. But this challenge doubles as Beijing prevents the island nation from participating in international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) which plays a key role in global public health prevention and crises.

Cross-Strait relations present in all aspects of life in Taiwan

Though Taiwan is separated from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by the 180 km wide Taiwan Strait and has so far confirmed only 8 cases of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus infection, the two countries maintain close economic, labor, academic, tourism relations that explain why large numbers of people travel across the Taiwan Strait extensively on a daily basis. 

An estimated one to two million Taiwanese citizens live in mainland China, where they work, study, or accompany their families. Taiwanese employees mostly work in Taiwanese companies and factories that have invested in China or are employed by Chinese and foreign companies. An estimated 12,000 young Taiwanese also choose China as their third most popular destination to study after the US and Australia, and benefit from special advantages to study in China. In 2019, the PRC was Taiwan’s top trade partner, representing almost 30 percent of Taiwanese exports. 

Taiwan hosts close to 10,000 mainland students on its soil. On January 29, the Taiwanese Ministry of Education authorities announced a temporary ban on exchanges for PRC students and trainees.
    [FULL  STORY]

9th case of China coronavirus reported from Taiwanese man who returned from Wuhan

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/30
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's ninth case of China coronavirus was reported on Thursday (Jan. 30)

in what appears to be a case of a carrier who passed it on to his spouse.

At a press conference on Thursday, Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that a Taiwanese woman whose husband works in Wuhan has been diagnosed with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The man was experiencing mild cold-like symptoms when he arrived in Taiwan on Jan. 12, but his wife began presenting serious symptoms on Monday (Jan. 27), causing her to seek medical attention and then admittance into a hospital the following day.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/30/2020
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) Taiwan on Thursday confirmed its second domestic case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was spread in a family setting in central Taiwan, bringing the total number of patients to nine.

The woman, in her 40s, is believed to have contracted the virus from her husband, who returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan Jan. 12 and developed respiratory symptoms on Jan. 22 that were not immediately identified as 2019-nCoV by the doctor after seeking treatment, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中).

The symptoms the husband had were too mild to qualify as a suspected 2019-nCoV case and be reported at the time, according to Chen, who heads the epidemic response command center.

However, the wife developed symptoms on Jan. 27, sought medical treatment the next day and tested positive Thursday, Chen said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 31, 2020
By:: Yang Mien-chieh and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The government plans to purchase 4 million masks a day to ensure continued supply and availability of

masks during heightened alert over the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Executive Yuan spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka said yesterday.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday announced that it would be releasing 6 million masks a day onto the market for three consecutive days.

However, that measure was insufficient, as there was still a shortage of masks yesterday.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare yesterday said that between Wednesday last week and Wednesday, more than 19.7 million masks were distributed to the nation’s four major convenience store chains, as well as pharmacies.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 29 January, 2020
By: Jake Chen

Former President Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday called on Taiwan’s government to assist China with battling the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.

The outbreak began in mid-December 2019 and originates from the Chinese city of Wuhan. Novel coronavirus has so far infected close to 6,000 people in China, and has resulted in 132 deaths.
[FULL  STORY]

Could it be?

The National Interest
Date: January 29, 2020
By: David Axe Follow @daxe on TwitterL

Key point: The DoD knows China's military has improved, but it believes it still is just short of being able to invade Taiwan from the sea. Even if this is accurate, it is still a question of when Taiwan will have that ability.

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.    [FULL  STORY]

New suspension of exchange student applications announced after entry of degree-seeking Chinese students postponed

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/29
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is sending shock waves through educational institutions across the Taiwan Strait, with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education (MOE) announcing a temporary ban of Chinese trainees and exchange students, UDN reported on Wednesday (Jan. 29).

The latest measure has also suspended applications for Chinese nationals to participate in trainee or exchange student programs in Taiwan, according to the report. This new measure was announced following an earlier action that postponed the entry of degree-seeking Chinese students two weeks, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 9.

University presidents have had mixed reactions. National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) President Liao Ching-jong (廖慶榮) said that the MOE policy is reasonable, as arranging for Chinese students to live in isolated dormitories has been very difficult, not to mention exchange students and trainees who come for a shorter period, according to the report.

Lunghwa University of Science and Technology President Ko Tzu-hsiang (葛自祥) said MOE’s measures would not affect the graduation schedules of Chinese trainees or exchange students, as they could continue to study in China, UDN reported. He added that it would be a different story for Chinese degree students barred from entering Taiwan, as it would affect their study plans and graduation schedules.    [FULL  STORY]