Taiwan will extend COVID-19 curbs into July: Health Minister

Taiwan will extend its coronavirus curbs by two more weeks until July 12, as the situation has yet to reach a point where they can be relaxed, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday.

Taiwan has been dealing with a rise in domestic infections since May after months of relative safety, leading the government to limit personal gatherings and close entertainment venues. Those restrictions were meant to end on June 28.

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But Chen told reporters they would be extended.

“Although the overall trend has improved during this period, it has not met our requirements. So for two more weeks, everyone will endure and work together, hoping to reach a more stable level after July 12,” he said.

Chen announced 104 new domestic infections, up from up from 78 on Tuesday.

Although Taiwan’s numbers remain comparatively low, authorities are reporting community transmission and clusters of infections.

Taiwan has logged 14,260 cases since the pandemic began, including 599 deaths.

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