‘EXTREMELY CAREFUL’: The decision to ease discharge requirements was made after analyzing international studies and observing COVID-19 patients in Taiwan

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 18, 2020
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

Confirmed COVID-19 cases can be removed from isolation after two consecutive negative test results, instead of three, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that two new imported cases have been confirmed in the past week, for a total of 445 confirmed cases, but no domestic cases have been reported for 66 consecutive days.

The decision to ease discharge requirements to the global standard of two consecutive negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests followed a suggestion by the CECC advisory specialist panel, he said.

Panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said the suggestion was made based on international studies and the observation of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Taiwan.
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