​Taiwan has seen the first suspected community-transmitted case of the coronavirus. To prevent community spread, Taiwan has expanded its screening measures to include any individuals with foreign travel history in the past 14 days.

The News Lens
Date: 2020/02/17
By: Daphne K. Lee

A taxi driver with no known history of traveling to China has died on Saturday due to complications from the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19), marking the first such death in Taiwan, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced. 

The deceased, a 61-year-old man who had diabetes and hepatitis B, could be the first case of community transmission in Taiwan, according to the health minister. His younger brother was also confirmed infected last week without showing symptoms. 

Chen said this suspected case of local transmission has yet to constitute a “community spread,” which would mean a serious escalation of public health risks. Signs of a community spread include a sustained chain of infection, the number of local transmission cases surpassing that of the imported ones, which have not occurred in Taiwan, he said. 

“We’re hoping to find out the source of the contraction as soon as possible,” Chen said at a press conference on Sunday.     [FULL  STORY]