Taiwan sees record coronavirus cases with peak expected in late May
- Daily infections have topped 90,000 for the first time, with 59 deaths, after the island abandoned its zero-Covid strategy
- Cases have been surging since the end of last month, but health minister says most are mild or asymptomatic
There were 90,331 new locally transmitted cases, 47 imported infections and 59 deaths reported on Thursday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Centre.
The daily case number was a 6 per cent jump from the previous day, and most infections were mild or asymptomatic, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters.
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Taiwan’s coronavirus cases reach new record as island moves away from zero-Covid policy
Cases have been surging on the island since the end of last month, and medical experts expect that to continue with a peak in late May.
“With a growing number of cases reported in central and southern Taiwan, we expect the pandemic to reach its peak in the next week or so,” said Philip Lo, deputy head of the command centre’s medical response division.
People in Taiwan were advised to continue to wear masks and observe social distancing and other measures to keep themselves safe, Lo added.
Lee Ping-ing, a paediatric infectious disease specialist and consultant to the command centre, said case numbers were likely to rise and fall in line with the pandemic trend elsewhere.
“After reaching the peak, the pandemic is expected to show signs of easing in June,” he said, adding it might take until September before life starts getting back to normal.