COVID-19: What caused COVID-19 outbreak?
COVID-19: What caused COVID-19 outbreak? While Taiwan has seen fewer than 800 COVID-19 deaths in total, 500 of them occurred last month alone, amid its biggest virus wave to date. As Taiwan’s outbreak finally abates and restrictions are slowly lifted, with curbs on larger social gatherings and tourist sites easing this week, attention is turning to what went wrong. However, Taiwan appears not to have done enough to ramp up testing capabilities, medical system readiness or vaccine supply. “Taiwan, like many other countries, couldn’t quickly adjust medical capacity when the outbreak happened, which led to a high fatality rate in Taiwan and globally,” Chuang said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 27, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Risk level in most cities, counties has dropped, CECC says
COVID-19: Risk level in most cities, counties has dropped, CECC saysBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterExcept for Taipei and New Taipei City, the COVID-19 situation in cities and counties has dropped to a medium-to-low risk level, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported 16 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and one death. “Recent case reports have been limited to a few cities and counties, and their sources of infection are mostly clear, so the COVID-19 situation is under control,” he said. Local governments should ensure they have sufficient medical capacity to respond to possible outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, he added. Other than Taipei and New Taipei City, the COVID-19 situation has dropped to a medium-to-low risk level in other cities and counties, he said. Asked about health and medical capacity for treating COVID-19 patients, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, said that about 420 COVID-19 patients are still in hospital.
Source:Taipei Times
July 27, 2021 15:56 UTC
TPP pushes for ‘vaccine passports’
TPP pushes for ‘vaccine passports’By Chen Yun and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislators yesterday urged the government to negotiate a reciprocal “vaccine passport” with other nations and to set clear standards for reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that preparations can be made early, even while the vaccination rate remains low. The appeal came a day after the party caucus donated NT$1 million (US$35,644) of needles to remote medical centers to help their vaccination efforts. Many nations have been proposing so-called “vaccine passports” as part of plans to reopen borders, and restart travel and the economy, TPP deputy caucus convener Ann Kao (高虹安) told a news conference. Holders of the certificate can travel between EU nations without any restrictions or additional testing, she added. Although the COVID-19 alert has been lowered to level 2, many confusing and awkward regulations remain, TPP caucus convener Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠) said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 27, 2021 15:56 UTC
Weightlifter bags first gold for Taiwan
She won gold in the women’s under-59kg weight class. Photo: EPA-EFE“I am very happy that I put all the pieces together now, adding in the Olympic gold medal today,” she said. Taiwan’s Kuo Hsing-chun displays her gold medal after winning the Tokyo Olympic Games women’s under-59kg final yesterday. She was beaten by Canada’s Maude Charron, who took gold with a combined lift of 236kg, and Italy’s Giorgia Bordignon, who lifted 232kg. Taiwan now has had one gold, two silver and three bronze medals in Tokyo.
Source:Taipei Times
July 27, 2021 15:56 UTC
Investment Commission negligent: NPP
Investment Commission negligent: NPPCONCERN: Kerry TJ Logistics, which controls a firm that provides logistics services at Taiwan’s two main science parks, has filed an equity transaction with a Chinese firmBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe New Power Party (NPP) yesterday accused the Investment Commission of negligence for allegedly not investigating whether a firm that controls the logistics services of Taiwan’s two main science parks is funded by Chinese investors. Huang said that Kerry TJ was funded by Chinese investors after it announced an equity transaction with China’s SF Holding Co in February. HCT Logistics in 2018 sold its 55 percent stake in Science Park Logistics to Kerry TJ, he added. Investment Commission Vice Executive Secretary Lu Cheng-hui (呂貞惠) said that Kerry TJ reported its equity transaction in February. “We consulted the Southern Science Park Administration, which told us that Science Park Logistics does not have to be more than 50 percent owned by state-owned corporations,” she said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 27, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taishin Financial again looks to MOF to recoup loss from CHB investment
Taishin Financial again looks to MOF to recoup loss from CHB investmentBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaishin Financial Holding Co (台新金控) once again yesterday urged the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to compensate it for a loss incurred when it invested in state-run Chang Hwa Commercial Bank (CHB, 彰化銀行), after the ministry rejected its request last week. Taishin Financial Holding Co chairman Thomas Wu, center, presides over the company’s annual general meeting in Taipei on Friday. “On June 10, Taishin sold 200 million shares of CHB at NT$15.58 per share, lower than the share’s closing price of NT$16.7 that day. It was Taishin that decided to sell its CHB shares at a lower price,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday. Taishin’s share price yesterday edged up 0.29 percent to NT$17.2 in Taipei trading, while CHB’s share price dipped 0.6 percent to NT$16.6, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Border controls remain in place: CECC
A nationwide COVID-19 alert is to be downgraded to level 2 today. “Although the local COVID-19 alert level will be lowered tomorrow [today], I must stress that the border control measures remain the same,” Chen said. “Visitors are also temporarily prohibited from making flight connections in Taiwan,” he said, adding that the policies are subject to change based on the global and local COVID-19 situation, as well as the implementation of disease prevention measures in local communities. After receiving a text message, eligible recipients can book an appointment from 10am today until midday on Thursday, Chen said. The level 3 COVID-19 alert is to be lowered to level 2 today, raising the maximum number of people allowed at indoor gatherings to 50 and at outdoor gatherings to 100.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
TSMC mulls building German plant
TSMC mulls building German plant‘IN ITS INFANCY’: The company’s 12-inch fab in Arizona is to be its first major overseas chip manufacturing site, while the fab in Japan would be its second, if it is constructedBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is evaluating the feasibility of constructing a semiconductor fabrication plant in Germany as it continues to expand overseas, it said yesterday. “About the German fab, we are seriously looking into it, but it is still in its infancy,” TSMC chairman Mark Liu (劉德音) told the annual general meeting. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei TimesThe US is to be the first major overseas chip manufacturing site for TSMC, as it started constructing an advanced 12-inch fab in Arizona earlier this year. Japan could be TSMC’s second overseas site, as the chipmaker said that it is carrying out due diligence regarding building a fab there. Liu said that he was not concerned about the countries’ localization plans, as their semiconductor supply chains would be partial.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: DPP accuses TPP of vaccine ‘plotting’
COVID-19: DPP accuses TPP of vaccine ‘plotting’DELAYING PRODUCTION: By asking for four reports on Medigen’s emergency use authorization, the TPP contravened the legislature’s rules, the DPP’s Lo Chih-cheng saidBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday accused the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of attempting to derail production of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp’s COVID-19 vaccine, most recently by demanding that the Ministry of Health and Welfare and three other agencies issue reports on its authorization process. Lo showed an official document, bearing the TPP legislative caucus letterhead and dated yesterday, which asked four government ministries and agencies to each table a report on the emergency use authorization process for the Medigen vaccine. The TPP asked to be provided with a list of attendees by 10am tomorrow. “The TPP is plotting to derail domestic vaccine production, just like the KMT is doing,” Lo said. Lo said that the KMT has spread misinformation about the Medigen vaccine to mislead the public.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
Let athletes be worry-free winners
Let athletes be worry-free winnersBy Li Cheng-ta 李政達When Taiwan’s Olympic athletes departed for the Tokyo Olympic Games on Monday last week, world No. She added a caption saying how she missed flying business class with EVA Airways. The seating arrangements formed a sharp contrast, and also went against Tsai’s promise that Taiwanese athletes and coaches would travel in business class to major international competitions. Meanwhile, journalists and Internet users are behaving like paparazzi in their search for the hotels where the officials, coaches, administrative staff and athletes are staying. Coaches, administrative staff, team physiotherapists and assistants handle all of these details so that the athletes can be worry-free and compete at their peak.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Ministry mulls increasing flights to outlying islands
COVID-19: Ministry mulls increasing flights to outlying islandsStaff writer, with CNAThe Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) would soon discuss with local government officials the possibility of raising the number of flights to the nation’s outlying islands after a nationwide COVID-19 alert is downgraded to level 2 today, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. More than 80 percent of domestic flights have been canceled since the COVID-19 alert was raised to level 3 on May 19. Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times“It has come to our attention that flights to the outlying islands do not meet the demand. The ministry must continue to exercise extreme caution, even though the COVID-19 alert has been downgraded to level 2, he said. “The last thing that officials in the outlying islands want is for there to be a dramatic influx of tourists from Taiwan proper.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
Yageo expects Q3 growth thanks to steady demand
Yageo expects Q3 growth thanks to steady demandGROWTH MOMENTUM: Firm chairman Pierre Chen said that while industry-wide lead times stand at eight to 10 months, Yageo gets components to its customers in threeBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterYageo Corp (國巨), the world’s No. Lead times for high-end passive components stand at eight to 10 months, while Yageo only needs three months to ship standard passive components to its customers, Chen said. We can continue to expect growth in the third quarter,” Chen said. Gross margin fell to 41 percent from 44.3 percent last year, but improved from 39.1 percent in the first quarter. Yageo expects this quarter’s gross margin to resemble last quarter’s.
Source:Taipei Times
July 26, 2021 15:56 UTC
War could ‘lead to US recognition’
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, left, speaks to former president Chen Shui-bian during a radio show hosted by Chen in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo courtesy of You Si-kun’s officeAsked to share his views on joining the UN and Taiwan-US relations, You said that both are very important. “If war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the US might recognize Taiwan, but if there is no conflict, it [recognition] could drag out for a long time,” he added. You also thanked Japan for treating Taiwan like a country during the Tokyo Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday. During the parade of nations, Japanese public broadcaster NHK called the nation “Taiwan” rather than “Chinese Taipei” as the team marched into the stadium.
Source:Taipei Times
July 25, 2021 16:00 UTC
COVID-19: CECC reports 12 new local cases, but no deaths
COVID-19: CECC reports 12 new local cases, but no deathsBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 12 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and one imported case. No deaths from COVID-19 were reported yesterday. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said seven of the local cases were reported in Taipei and five in New Taipei City. Five new local COVID-19 cases were reported in the city yesterday. Among the 14,336 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Taiwan from May 11 to yesterday morning, 87.6 percent have been released from isolation, CECC data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
July 25, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Panel approves mixing of vaccine doses
COVID-19: Panel approves mixing of vaccine dosesPLANNING NEEDED: The committee also backed the inclusion of Medigen’s vaccine in the national program, but the CECC must first meet with the firm to discuss supplyBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) yesterday agreed to a mix-and-match approach for COVID-19 vaccines, and approved the inclusion of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp’s (高端疫苗) COVID-19 vaccine in the national vaccination program. Most people in the first three COVID-19 vaccination priority groups have received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Chen said. Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan, center in cream blazer, is briefed while at Yunlin County Stadium yesterday inspecting COVID-19 vaccinations. The ACIP also approved the domestic Medigen vaccine for inclusion in the national vaccination program, he said. Regarding rollout of the Medigen vaccine, Chen said the CECC would need to meet with the vaccine maker to confirm its supply plan and schedule.
Source:Taipei Times
July 25, 2021 15:56 UTC