Taiwan's health authorities have placed 5,000 people in quarantine while investigating the source of infection for a couple who tested positive for COVID-19 after their short stay in a hospital. This precaution is aimed at controlling the spread of the virus and preventing an outbreak.
Officials announced on Monday that they had not been able to determine how the husband and wife contracted the virus during their brief stay at a public hospital in Taiwan City, located outside the capital. The man was hospitalized for three days due to health issues unrelated to the virus, while his wife was caring for him. Authorities requested that patients who were discharged from the hospital between January 6 and 19 undergo health checks and comply with quarantine measures, prompting Taiwan to raise its alert level following the recent infections. The country has recorded a total of 15 infections, all within the hospital setting.
According to observers of Taiwan's rapid and ongoing efforts to control the virus, the nation has reported only 7 fatalities and fewer than 900 cases, despite its proximity to China, where the outbreak originated.
