Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/19/2020
By: Wu Che-hao, Sunrise Huang,
Chen Chih-chung and Chiang Yi-ching

Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), on Wednesday defended his decision to launch an investigation into the Changhua County Health Bureau, saying it was not clear why the bureau had tested an asymptomatic teenager for COVID-19 after his recent return from the United States.

Amid pushback from scholars and Changhua officials, Chen said the purpose of the investigation was not to penalize anyone but rather to find out what really happened.

At the heart of the issue is the case of a Taiwanese teenager who was confirmed Monday to have COVID-19, after he was tested two days before by the Changhua County Health Bureau.

The teenager, who lives in the U.S., had no symptoms of the disease upon arrival in Taiwan on Aug. 5 or while he was in quarantine, yet the county's health bureau had him tested on Aug. 15, the CECC said.    [FULL  STORY]