Taiwan tightens coronavirus border controls

2020/02/06

Taiwan will refuse entry to foreign nationals having visited China on or after Jan. 24 under an upgraded border control regime announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
 The measure, which takes effect Feb. 7, is aimed at protecting the people of Taiwan from a possible outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

  Foreign nationals in possession of a valid Taiwan resident certificate will be granted entry but are subject to a 14-day home quarantine. Those needing to visit Taiwan for special reasons and having not traveled to severely affected areas in China can apply for a visa at an ROC (Taiwan) embassy or representative office.
 
 Applicants must disclose recent travel history, submit a health report confirming symptom-free status issued no more than seven days beforehand and sign an affidavit agreeing to notify relevant agencies and medical care providers if they exhibit such symptoms after arrival.
 
 Stricter measures for cruise ships were unveiled the same day by the Central Epidemic Command Center under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Centers for Disease Control. Effective immediately, vessels carrying passengers diagnosed with or suspected of having the virus within the past 28 days, as well as those docking in China, Hong Kong and Macau within the past 14 days, are banned from making landfall in Taiwan.
 
 According to the CECC, 11 cases of the virus were confirmed in Taiwan as of Feb. 5. A total of 24,324 cases have been identified in China, with 200 reported in 26 other countries and territories.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)