Taiwan on Thursday recorded 11,517 fresh coronavirus infections on Thursday – its highest single-day count since the pandemic broke out in 2020, the Associated Press reported. The country also reported two deaths.
Of the total cases, 99.7% are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, said Chen Shih-chung, Taiwan health minister.
Coronavirus cases have been increasing in the island nation since March. Last week, a two-year-old boy died because of the virus, making him the youngest fatality in the country.
Taiwan’s health authorities have said they would not implement a “zero-Covid policy” like China that involves harsh restrictions, lockdowns and rigorous testing.
Instead, patients with mild symptoms will be asked to quarantine at home, the government has said.
Taiwan has reported a total of 88,446 cases since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The toll stands at 860. A majority of these deaths were reported during the 2021 summer outbreak, AP reported.
Taiwan had managed to restrict the infections in 2020. As the number of patients was surging in most parts of Europe in October 2020, Taiwan hit a record 200 days without any local transmissions, Al Jazeera reported. This was mainly because of the country’s efficient contact-tracing system and strict symptom-based surveillance of all arrivals at the airport.
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