(ANSA-AFP) - TAIPEI, APRIL 28 - Taiwan registers more than 10,000 new Coronavirus infections for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, after the government's decision, at the beginning of April, to abandon its "zero Covid" strategy.
"We have 11,353 local infections, two deaths and 164 imported cases," Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said in a press conference.
Taiwan maintained a low infection rate for the first two years of the pandemic thanks to border closures and strict quarantine rules.
Now the infections are resuming but the leaders have announced that they will follow the example of other economies, such as Singapore, Australia or New Zealand, which have moved from a "zero Covid" strategy to accepting an increase in cases.
According to the Taipei Health Minister, 99.7% of the 51,504 cases registered since January 1 have no or few symptoms.
Seven deaths were reported during this period.
Minister Chen warns that the number of infections could more than double to 37,000 within a week.
Nearly 80% of the island's population received two doses of the vaccine and 58% received a booster.
Vaccination rates are, however, lowest among the elderly, who are also the most vulnerable, with only 59% of those over 75 receiving a third injection.
(ANSA-AFP).
