Taiwan Announces First SARS Death

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 28, 2003

Taiwan Announces First SARS Death

Taiwan's authorities announced Sunday the island province's first SARS death and imposed a 10-day mandatory quarantine on all people arriving from areas hit hard by the flu-like disease.

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Taiwan's authorities announced Sunday the island province's first SARS death and imposed a 10-day mandatory quarantine on all people arriving from areas hit hard by the flu-like disease.

The 56-year-old man who died Saturday night contracted severe acute respiratory syndrome after his brother visited him. The brother was diagnosed with SARS after returning to Hong Kong weeks ago, officials said.

Starting immediately, people arriving in Taiwan from countries and places hit hard by SARS will be quarantined for 10 days at government-designated quarters yet to be announced, while Taiwan residents will have to stay at home.

The affected areas include China's mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Toronto, officials said.

Citizens from those areas are discouraged from visiting Taiwan during the next two weeks because Taiwan's provincial capital of Taipei just had its first hospital outbreak and authorities had yet to contain it, officials said.

Taiwanese who break the quarantine will be held at the government-designated quarters. All violators, visitors or Taiwanese, can be jailed for up to two years or fined a maximum of 300,000 new Taiwan dollars (US$8,600), according to the government.

People coming from affected places must show certificates declaring they are in good health before they will be granted Taiwanese visas, the government said. But even with health certificates, people arriving from those SARS-stricken areas will be quarantined on arrival.

Authorities may not issue visas unless the visits are "absolutely essential" and could not be postponed, a government official said.

"We hope people from those areas will not apply for visas to Taiwan for the time being," the official said on condition of anonymity.

A government spokesman, Richard Shih, said Taiwan may revoke visa-free status for Singaporeans under the new measures. Details on visits by Americans and Europeans by way of the affected areas will be announced later, Shih said.

Taiwan is struggling to contain SARS after a Taipei hospital reported 13 cases last week. More than 900 medical staff and 200 patients remained quarantined in the hospital for the fourth day yesterday.

Taiwan has reported 55 SARS cases.

Before the SARS outbreak, thousands of Taiwanese traveled to the mainland, most via Hong Kong, for business or sightseeing. The number of travelers has sharply dropped in recent weeks.

Many of Taiwan's electronics and other manufacturing companies have operations on the mainland, and the tough new measures could further hamper their businesses.

Source: agencies

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