Drawing lessons from SARS, Taiwan has acted quickly in response to the new virus outbreak

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/02/05
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has managed to coordinate a quick and effective response to the coronavirus outbreak thanks to experience gained from SARS as well as three major decisions, according to a report by Mirror Media.

The island country initiated the first response mechanism on Dec. 31, when China reported 27 mysterious pneumonia cases in Wuhan to the WHO. From that day on, all passengers on direct flights from the Chinese city were subject to onboard screening and a health-condition declaration.

These border control measures have been hailed as key to preventing the virus from further spreading into Taiwan. It was not until Jan. 21 that the island reported its first case, a businesswoman from Wuhan who was directly transported to the hospital upon arrival.

The second crucial move was made on Jan. 15, when the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officially declared the pneumonia from Wuhan a Category 5 notifiable disease, according to the report. This makes it mandatory, in the event of a possible outbreak, to report cases of potential illness to the authorities for better monitoring and early intervention .    [FULL  STORY]