Taiwan may raise COVID alert level after cluster emerges

Taiwan may raise its COVID-19 alert level in the “coming days” if cases rise, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung has said according to the official Central News Agency, which would mean shops selling non-essential items would have to close.

On Tuesday, Taiwan announced plans to restrict public gatherings as a result of a cluster of six new cases with no clear source of infection, an unusual outbreak for the island that had kept the pandemic well under control.

Describing the situation as “very serious”, Chen on Wednesday told parliament the level could be lifted a notch to 3, limiting gatherings to five people indoors and 10 outdoors, as well as the closure of non-essential businesses.

Later he told the news media a decision might come in the “coming days”.

President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to hold a news conference on the coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon.

Taiwan largely closed its borders early in the pandemic and has a robust contact-tracing and quarantine system, keeping infections to 1,210, including 12 deaths, and allowing life to stay close to normal.