Taiwan banned large gatherings and even hospital visits yesterday, following the formation of a cluster of Covid-19 infections in the northern region of the island.
This comes a day after China Airlines - its largest carrier - decided to quarantine all its pilots to stem another cluster.
To curb recent infections in the northern Yilan county, the authorities stepped up Covid-19 prevention measures islandwide starting yesterday. The measures will remain in place at least until June 8, said the Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC).
Indoor gatherings of more than 100 and outdoor events involving more than 500 people are banned. Hospital visits as well as eating and drinking on public transport have also been banned.
The cluster of infections in Yilan emerged as five people who had visited an amusement arcade tested positive for Covid-19 and were announced as new cases yesterday. Out of the five, four are arcade employees while the fifth is a frequent customer.
The CECC has decided to raise its Covid-19 alert to level 2 - out of a total of three levels - which indicates "when local cases with unclear infection sources emerge".
Premier Su Tseng-chang yesterday said: "Taiwan has carried out pandemic prevention very well for the past year, but we are getting more relaxed or careless as time goes by. I urge everyone to face the new outbreak seriously."
The island, which has one of the world's best pandemic responses, has so far recorded 1,210 Covid-19 cases, with 12 deaths.
The health authorities are calling on people to avoid crowded places, wear masks and abide by social distancing restrictions at gatherings.
Under the latest restrictions, event organisers need to ensure all participants provide their names and contact information. The organisers must also leave alternate seats empty for all participants.
Passengers taking both Taiwan Railway Administration trains and the high-speed rail will be asked to wear masks at all times. Eating and drinking will be prohibited. No standing tickets will be sold on intercity trains from Saturday.
Visits to hospital and nursing home wards are banned.
City and county governments across Taiwan have announced that school field trips, graduation ceremonies, concerts, cultural events and exhibitions will have to be put on hold until further notice. Some places - among them New Taipei City - will be limiting the number of people using public gyms and swimming pools.
The infections at China Airlines were first reported on April 20. The cluster, comprising 36 cases as at yesterday, is Taiwan's worst since the pandemic began in late 2019. So far, at least eight China Airlines pilots, one flight attendant and their family members have contracted Covid-19.
The coronavirus has also spread to a quarantine hotel near the Taoyuan International Airport, infecting seven employees and their family members. According to Health Minister Chen Shih-chun, all contacts have been traced and located.
But the China Airlines cluster remains a source of worry to the CECC: one infected pilot had come in contact with another pilot earlier, who is also a confirmed case now, and had visited a hotel bar and restaurant in Taipei last week.
The CECC had asked the airline to quarantine all its pilots for 14 days starting from Monday. It also requires those who had come in contact with crew members linked to the cluster to be scheduled on shifts different from those who had not.
China Airlines released a statement yesterday, saying it was following the government's orders and moving to quarantine its crew in groups, staggering the quarantine so as to soften the impact on its services.
The carrier estimates that over 10 per cent of its freight operations will be affected, the statement added, potentially affecting the island's chip exports amid a global semiconductor shortage.
