Coronavirus: Taiwan to quarantine thousands in effort to curb latest outbreak

Taiwan has demanded that some 5,000 people be quarantined as it seeks to stop the potential spread of Covid-19 following a cluster of cases linked to a hospital.

The authorities have already located almost 3,000 people who may have had contact with the infected patients in Taoyuan, the island’s health minister Chen Shih-chung said on Monday.

“Of the 2,991 who have been located, they will need to quarantine at home or in special facilities for two weeks followed by seven days of self-health management,” Chen said, adding the authorities will continue to locate and notify the rest of the potential contacts.

Chen asked those who had visited the Taoyuan General Hospital in northern Taiwan between January 6 and January 19 – including patients who had been discharged from the hospital, those accompanying patients to the hospital and those who lived with the patients – to report to the authorities for quarantine.

Local media reports have said that some potential contacts live outside Taoyuan, including residents of the nearby cities of Taipei and New Taipei.

Both cities have imposed strict controls, banning visitors from hospitals and tightening rules on mask wearing and safe distancing in public places and stores.