Two in quarantine die; test negative for COVID-19

Focus Taiwan
Dater: 04/06/2020
By: Wu Ruei-chi and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) Two people found dead in a northern Taoyuan apartment in an apparent double suicide while on compulsory 14-day quarantine have tested negative for the COVID-19 coronavirus, city prosecutors said Monday.

A 45-five-year-old male surnamed Wu (吳) and a 40-year-old female surnamed Chu (邱) were both found dead in their shared rental apartment on Friday night after local authorities visited them because they were unable to reach the two as part of regular checkups during home quarantine, the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office said in a press release.

Their bodies were found together in one room, with forensic testing showing that the two apparently committed suicide by burning charcoal in an enclosed space and died of carbon monoxide poisoning. There was no suicide note.

As a precaution during the pandemic, a forensic expert from the prosecutors office took nasal swabs from the two bodies, both of which tested negative for COVID-19.   [FULL  STORY]