Virus Outbreak: Four imported cases with UK strain found: CECCGENOME SEQUENCING: The likely more transmissable virus strain was found in previously confirmed cases who did not pose a risk to local communities, the center saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterFour COVID-19 cases in Taiwan were confirmed to be infected with the new virus strain discovered last month in the UK, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it also reported two new imported cases. As the new COVID-19 variant is believed to be much more transmissible than other strains, the CECC in the past few weeks began genome sequencing of samples from confirmed cases with high viral loads. Samples of 33 confirmed cases were subject to genome sequencing, Chen said. Moreover, Chen said that two imported cases were confirmed yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in Taiwan to 819. Chang said that analysis of confirmed cases shows that the virus is more likely to be cultivated if the person’s CT value is lower than 27 and symptoms appear within 10 days of infection.

Source: Taipei Times January 06, 2021 15:56 UTC