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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed 28,513 local COVID cases on Monday (Sept. 26), 272 imported cases, and 56 deaths, including a 7-month-old girl.

The number of local cases remains unchanged from the same period last week.

Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, confirmed another new case of a child — a five-year-old boy with no history of chronic disease who has had the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine — with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) after a COVID-19 infection. As of Monday, 34 children have succumbed to the infection and 229 have developed severe symptoms since the beginning of the outbreak.

Among the 160 PCR-based pool testing for COVID-19 diagnosis of local cases performed last week, Lo said, approximately 80% were infected with BA.5 and 20% with BA.2. No other new Omicron variants, such as BA.4 or BA.2.75., were detected among local infections last week.

Local cases

Local cases included 13,318 males and 15,185 females, with the genders of 10 cases still under investigation, ranging in age from under 5 to their 90s.

New Taipei City reported 5,651 cases, followed by 3,656 in Taichung City, 3,248 in Taipei City, 3,153 in Taoyuan City, 2,507 in Kaohsiung City, 1,759 in Tainan City, 1,555 in Changhua County, 914 in Hsinchu County, 772 in Pingtung County, 681 in Miaoli County, 661 in Hsinchu City, 652 in Nantou County, 638 Yunlin County, 569 in Yilan County, 485 in Keelung City, 463 in Chiayi County, 400 in Hualien County, 301 in Chiayi City, 225 in Taitung County, 107 in Kinmen County, 77 in Penghu County, and 12 in Lienchiang County.

COVID deaths

The 56 deaths announced on Monday included 33 males and 23 females ranging in age from under five to their 90s. All of these individuals were classified as severe cases, 53 of them had a history of chronic disease, and 35 had not received the third dose of a COVID vaccine. Their dates of diagnosis and death ranged from August 6 to Sept. 23.

Imported cases

The 272 imported cases included 155 males and 117 females, ranging in age from under 5 to their 80s.

Total COVID case statistics

Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has confirmed 6,278,794 cases, of which 6,244,708 were local and 34,032 were imported. So far, 10,884 individuals have succumbed to the disease, with 16 deaths reported among imported cases.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan as of 5 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 25).

Of the 15 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets were tracked in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.

In response, Taiwan sent combat patrol aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missile systems to monitor the People’s Liberation Army aircraft and vessels, in addition to issuing radio warnings.

Beijing has sent its planes into Taiwan’s identification zone every day this month. So far, Taiwan has tracked 503 PLA aircraft and 124 naval ships around the country for September.

Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ. Gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) pledged to obtain international recognition for Taiwan’s Medigen vaccine after it was reported Japan had still excluded it from its list of approved vaccinations.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said on Sept. 23 that his country would resume individual travel and visa-free entry beginning Oct. 11. “COVID-19, of course, interrupted all of these benefits, but from October 11, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the U.S., as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel,” Al Jazeera quoted Kishida as saying.

Su said that vaccines are strategic resources, and Taiwan is one of the few countries in the world that can make its own. We must support our domestically-produced jabs and their international recognition through scientific trials, he added.

Su mentioned that he himself was inoculated with the Medigen vaccine.

Taiwan has slowly begun to open travel back to pre-pandemic levels following the government’s announcement of the restoration of visa-free entry to all reciprocating countries on Sept. 29 and the end of quarantine on Oct. 13. Under the new "0 + 7" system, which will be implemented on Oct. 13, incoming travelers only have to undergo seven days of self-health management.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The “extremely” torrential rain for two days in Yilan County and some parts of northeast Taiwan eased somewhat on Monday (Sept. 26), according to the Central Weather Bureau.

From midnight on Saturday to Monday, Datong Township recorded the most rainfall in Yilan with 922 mm. Skies were starting to clear at midday and this respite from rain was seen on the north coast, around Kenting in the south and on the eastern part of the main island.

Currently, showers are likely though, plus a little sun, except in the mountains where brief thunderstorms can be expected. Looking further forward, to the weekend, south Taiwan and Kaohsiung in particular will experience temperatures of 25-30 degrees Celsius, with sun and showers.

Tainan will be between 26-31 C. In Chiayi it’s a mixture of clouds, showers and sun — and much the same in Yunlin, Nantou, and Changhua. Taichung would appear to have the highest temperatures, up to 34 C, but elsewhere, in Hsinchu and in the north it will be autumnal weather, wet, getting colder and making the most of the sun when it comes out.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police arrested a man after he signed off on imported bowls from Italy, which contained 43 kilograms of the illegal drug ketamine, reports said Thursday (Sept. 22).

Sun (孫), 23, imported 1,183 stainless steel bowls, but customs inspectors opened them up after X-ray checks at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on April 22 revealed the bottom of the bowls showed an irregular shape, reporters reported. Inside 995 bowls, they found a total of 43 kg of white powder which turned out to be ketamine with a street value estimated at NT$100 million ($3.16 million).

Police allowed the bowls to be delivered to an address inside an industrial zone in Sanxia District, New Taipei City, where they arrested Sun when he showed up to sign for the delivery.

At first, he denied knowledge of the ketamine, but he later admitted he had arranged the deal with a man in China through the LINE messaging app. Sun said he had been told to wait for further instructions from China to pass the drugs on to another person.

Prosecutors initially charged Sun in July, while they continued to search for possible accomplices.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taipei Metro malfunction that caused service to be suspended on the Brown Line between Xinhai and Zhongshan Junior High School stations disrupted Friday morning’s (Sept. 23) rush hour traffic.

Taipei Metro announced on its website at 8:31 a.m. that the train malfunction occurred between Linguang and Liuzhangli stations. According to reporters, a train traveling towards Taipei Zoo was unable to operate automatically, and Taipei Metro technicians were deployed to address the issue.

Buses were offered to transport passengers between Xinhai and Zhongshan Junior High School Stations. Train frequency between Zhongshan Junior High School and Nangang Exhibition Center, as well as between Xinhai and Taipei Zoo was adjusted to every four minutes.

At the time of publishing, the service has yet to be restored.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck Taitung early morning Friday (Sept. 23) at 2:54 a.m., followed by two more earthquakes several hours later at 9:57 and 10:14 a.m., according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

The epicenter of the first temblor was 17.3 kilometers north-northeast of Taitung County Hall, with a focal depth of 9.8.

The magnitudes of the later quakes measured 3.9 and 3.6. The epicenter of the second quake was 17.7 km north-northeast of Taitung County Hall, with a focal depth of 8.6 km; the epicenter of the third quake was 64.7 km south-southwest of Hualien County Hall, with a focal depth of 8.5.

Taiwan uses an intensity scale of one to seven, which gauges the degree to which a quake is felt at a specific location.

The first earthquake’s intensity registered as a 4 in Taitung County and a 2 in Hualien County. An intensity level of 1 was recorded in Kaohsiung County, Pingtung County, Nantou County, and Chiayi City.

The second earthquake’s intensity registered as a 3 in Taitung County and a 1 in Hualien County, while the third quake’s intensity registered as a 4 in Hualien County and a 1 in Nantou County.

No injuries or damage from the quake had been reported at the time of publication.

Since Sunday afternoon’s (Sept. 18) strong earthquake in Taitung, which had a 6.8 magnitude and caused widespread disaster in Hualien, 112 aftershocks have been reported. 77 of the aftershocks occurred within 24 hours of the main quake, according to the CWB’s Seismological Center.

Between Tuesday (Sept. 20) and Thursday (Sept. 22), the number of earthquakes decreased, with less than 10 recorded each day. The quakes’ magnitudes ranged from 3.3-4.7, with intensity levels between 2 and 4.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the country begins to open its borders in stages, Taiwan will allow four categories of citizens from China, Hong Kong, and Macau to enter the country on Sept. 29.

On Thursday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) announced the Cabinet approved the first stage of easing border restrictions for Taiwan, with the changes to take effect on Sept. 29. The second stage is likely to take effect on Oct. 13.

Also on Thursday, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced that taking into consideration humanitarian needs, family reunions, and the operation and management of Chinese-funded enterprises in Taiwan, the entry requirements for Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau nationals will be relaxed on Sept. 29.

​MAC said that in cooperation with the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), it is scheduled to adjust border control measures beginning on Sept. 29 and will relax entry rules for people from China, Hong Kong, and Macau who are in the following four categories:

1. Chinese nationals who come to Taiwan to visit relatives and attend funerals.

2. Personnel of Chinese airlines and shipping companies deployed to work in Taiwan, flight crew members, ship crew members, technicians, and other personnel of Chinese aircraft and ships.

3. Personnel from Chinese-funded businesses who have received approval to invest in Taiwan may apply for special entry with the relevant authorities of respective industries.

4. People from Hong Kong or Macau who come to Taiwan to visit relatives, attend funerals, or engage in business activities.

According to reporters, previously, the only businesspeople from China-funded enterprises who could apply for special entry permits for Taiwan were employees of China-funded banks. Now, personnel from Chinese-funded enterprises that invest in Taiwan can apply for entry to Taiwan on a case-by-case basis.

MAC pointed out that in the future, based on pandemic and cross-strait interactions, it will conduct ongoing reviews and gradually adjust border controls for Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau nationals to "safeguard national security and overall interests."

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — When police raided a man’s home after catching him attempting to sell marijuana plants in Yunlin County, the suspect’s wife said she was told the marijuana “house plant” was decorative maple.

Reporters reported the Taipei police launched an investigation after coming across an online advertisement that used vague language to suggest it was selling drugs. The police tracked a man surnamed Yen (顏) all the way to Yunlin, catching him with 12 marijuana saplings and six maturing plants in his car at a parking lot in Douliu.

When Yen was taken home for the raid, police found the tree in a guest bedroom. Yen’s wife was confused, asking, “Isn’t this decorative maple?”

​Yen had reportedly lied to her about what he was growing to cover up his true intentions.

Taipei City Police Department Datong Precinct told Taiwan News that, Yen, who was a keen gardener, began growing marijuana out of curiosity. While he did not have a habit of smoking pot, he allegedly attempted to profit by selling his plants and smoked his own product twice to try it out.

After interrogating Yen, police transferred his case to the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office for further investigation. He faces criminal charges for planting and selling marijuana.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 38 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships around Taiwan as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 21).

Of the 38 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 12 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, including three Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, one Harbin BZK-005 reconnaissance drone, six Shenyang J-11 fighter jets, and two Shenyang J-16 fighter planes, according the MND.

Meanwhile, one Xian JH-7 fighter bomber was spotted in the northeast section of Taiwan’s ADIZ, while one Tengden TB-001 reconnaissance and combat drone, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, one CH-4 reconnaissance and combat drone, and one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s identification zone.

In response, Taiwan sent combat patrol aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missile systems to monitor the People’s Liberation Army aircraft and vessels, in addition to issuing radio warnings.

Beijing has sent its planes into Taiwan’s identification zone every day this month. So far, Taiwan has tracked 439 PLA aircraft and 107 naval ships around the country for September.

Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ. Gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”