AIDS expert David Ho emphasizes importance of hand-washing to counter spread of COVID-19

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/03/07
By: Chris Chang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The inventor of a cocktail therapy for AIDS, Dr. David Ho contends that 98 percent of the patients infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can be cured — believing there is no need to panic despite the fact a vaccine will not come out any time soon.

As the coronavirus spreads around the U.S., Ho believes the current figure for infections is just the tip of the iceberg. In New York, face masks and sanitizers have sold out in pharmacies, according to VOA.

Ho said washing and sanitizing hands is the best way to stifle the spread of the coronavirus because it is transmitted through droplets and contaminated surfaces. Even though there is no existing medicine to target the virus, most patients can be cured, and non-urgent cases do not need treatment to become healthy again.

The virology expert pointed out there are tens of thousands of people with seasonal flu despite the existence of medicine and vaccines. Still, people do not give it the same amount of attention.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 03/07/2020
By: William Yen

Taipei, March 7 (CNA) An American national in Palau suspected of being infected with COVID-19 has been declared negative after her samples were tested in Taiwan, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) Saturday.

The patient, identified as a 73-year-old woman from Oregon by the Palau Ministry of Health, was found to be negative for the acute respiratory disease after her specimen samples were sent to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for testing Friday, the CECC said.

The woman, who arrived in Palau with the visiting NGO Canvasback Medical Team, was isolated at the Belau National Hospital on Tuesday after displaying "underlying conditions," according to a statement issued by Palau's health ministry.

Physicians specializing in infectious diseases from Taipei's Shin Kong Memorial Wu Ho-Su Hospital used online video conferencing to instruct local doctors on how to take samples, which were then sent to Taiwan, the CECC said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 06 March, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

Many companies have had to put employees on unpaid leave as the economic bite of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to make itself felt.

The government is responding with measures to help the workforce. These include making companies pay minimum wage to workers on unpaid leave. The government will then subsidize half of the remaining amount that workers usually earn.    [FULL  STORY]

The Straits Times
Date: March 7, 2020
By: Lim Ruey Yan

Taiwanese actor Joseph Cheng has taken fans of idol dramas down memory lane with a recent photo of him and three actresses who were associated with the genre in the 2000s.

On Thursday (March 5), Cheng, who shot to prominence in the drama The Rose (2003), posted on social media a photo of himself with actress-singer Rainie Yang and actresses Michelle Chen and Ariel Lin.

In his caption, the 37-year-old actor combined the Chinese titles of two television serials – It Started With A Kiss (2005) and Miss No Good (2008).

Cheng starred with Lin, 37, in It Started With A Kiss and its sequel They Kiss Again (2007), in which they became an iconic on-screen couple from different family backgrounds.
[FULL  STORY]

MJIB found 13 cases during search for fake news about coronavirus

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/03/06
By Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – During its search for fake news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) found out that Chinese netizens had bought at least 13 Internet domains originally held by Taiwanese citizens, possibly in an effort to launch more propaganda.

Worldwide, Chinese groups had already taken over 1,500 sites, probably to use as “content farms” which could produce fake news helping the communist government’s political aims, CNA reported Friday (March 6).    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 03/06/2020
By: William Yen

The National Concert Hall undergoing sanitation procedures on Friday. (Photo courtesy of the National Performing Arts Center)

Taipei, March 6 (CNA) The National Theater and Concert Hall (NTCH) will be temporarily shut down for disinfection, the performing arts center said Friday, after an Australian composer and violist who performed there was diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease a day earlier.

All performances at the National Concert Hall were canceled on Friday and will also be canceled over the weekend, while the National Theater Hall will cancel its events on Saturday and Sunday as disinfection takes place, according to the center.

The National Theater and Concert Hall will resume operations on Monday.

NTCH General and Artistic Director Liu Yi-ju (劉怡汝) said disinfection was carried out throughout the concert hall on Friday, including the front desk, backstage, the green room, auditoriums and all shops and restaurants.    [FULL  STORY]

MISUNDERSTANDING?  Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung said that what he meant was that testing would not be conducted ‘simultaneously’ across the nation

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 07, 2020
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter

The government yesterday backpedaled on a plan to suspend breath alcohol tests due to fears about the spread of COVID-19, reiterating its “zero tolerance” stance on drunk driving and saying that testing would continue nationwide.

Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) on Thursday told a legislative meeting that to avoid COVID-19 contagion and prevent excessive strain on personnel of the National Police Agency’s Special Police, breath alcohol testing, conducted twice per month, would be suspended.

However, local governments would still conduct “regional” testing at their discretion, he said.

Hsu’s remarks at the legislature sparked controversy, as they came less than a week after Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) told the public that stiffened penalties for drunk driving were taking effect.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 05 March, 2020
By: Paula Chao
 

Taiwan’s police officers and paramedics are taking steps to keep themselves healthy amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

A police station in the southern city of Tainan has set up a makeshift office outdoors, a response to growing fears about COVID-19. When talking to those who come in, officers make sure to wear surgical masks.

 One officer says those in the police force are concerned about getting infected on the job, especially when they have to work with people who cough and do not wear a mask.
[FULL  STORY]

“Even in five years of looking at troubling disinfo every day, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite this malicious.”BuzzFeed News
Date: March 5, 2020
By: Craig SilvermanBuzzFeed News Reporter

The messages appeared on Facebook at the end of February, each making the same explosive claim: Taiwan’s government had lied about the number of coronavirus infections and deaths.

The posts, written in Mandarin, claimed an unnamed Taiwanese legislator was secretly revealing the cover-up. “I’m really angry right now, don’t the Taiwanese deserve to know these things?” the posts said.

The content from the Facebook posts were also shared on Weibo, a major Chinese social media platform, and similar claims spread on Twitter and YouTube.

The claim was false, and rapidly shown to be so by the Taiwan FactCheck Center, a nonprofit reporting organization. Taiwan’s government has not been lying about the number of cases, which currently stands at 44, including one death.    [FULL  STORY]