oct 29, 2020 - Taiwan 200 days without Covid-19 infection

Description:

Taiwan marks 200 days without domestic Covid-19 infection.

Taiwan has reached a record 200 days without any domestically transmitted cases of Covid-19, underlining its success in keeping the virus under control as cases rise across much of the world.

Taiwanese authorities acted early to halt the spread of the disease, brought in strict control measures, including two weeks of quarantine for anyone flying into the island, and poured resources into testing and tracing.

Checks on travellers arriving from Wuhan, where the epidemic started, were brought in on 31 December, as soon as health authorities there told the World Health Organization they were treating cases of viral pneumonia of unknown origin.

The island’s previous exposure to the Sars epidemic meant that preparations were extensive and up to date, and the government’s response was helped by having an epidemiologist as vice-president and an excellent public health system. (The Guardian)