Taiwanese Health Official: Optimistic that Taiwan can Survive 2019-nCoV



Taiwan had learned a lot from previous virus outbreaks, such as the 2003 SARS outbreak. Its health authorities are optimistic that it can survive the current 2019-nCoV outbreak, said the health chief of the government of Taipei City.


On Tuesday, the health authorities had released an announcement stating the current number of confirmed cases of the virus in Taiwan. In China, 4,500 cases were confirmed positive for the virus, with deaths of approximately 106 people.

Huang Shier-chieg, the Commissioner of the Department of Health and a former medical worker during the SARS epidemic, had spoken to the media on Tuesday. He told reporters that the 2019-nCoV is managed more easily compared to the 2003 SARS scare.


On Monday, government employees are being required to wear face masks and frequently wash their hands for work.

Unlike the time of the 2003 SARS outbreak, the 2019-nCoV outbreak is better controlled. Currently, there are only a few cases of the virus, said Huang. He sees that the progress with the control of the infection spreading is because of the better informed medical workers and the general public. He believes that Taiwan will make it through the epidemic.