The Straits Times
Date: Mar 4, 2020
By: Katherine Wei Taiwan Correspondent In Taipei

Mask factories in Taiwan have been operating 24/7 for more than a month, since the island detected its first case of the coronavirus in January, but the masks still sell out at most pharmacies as soon as they open.

Mask production has increased to 8.2 million pieces a day from seven million a day last month.

The government had banned mask exports in January, and the Central Epidemic Command Centre on Monday promised that local surgical mask manufacturers will be able to produce 13 million masks each day by late this month or early next month.

Before the outbreak, the majority of the masks that Taiwanese used were imported, with up to 93 per cent from China, which is now facing a mask shortage.    [FULL  STORY]