TAIPEI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The total number of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection cases in Taiwan has increased by one to 32, according to the island's epidemic monitoring agency Wednesday.

The new patient was a care worker who took care of the 27th confirmed case on the island, a man in his 80s, in the hospital, the agency said in a statement.

The woman in her 30s reported slight throat irritation when she was approached and took the infection test on Feb. 24 for being in close contact with the man, according to the statement.

Health authorities preliminarily ruled out an infection outbreak within the hospital, after testing other patients that the care worker had taken care of and people having had contacts with her in the hospital, the statement said.