TAIPEI (REUTERS) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has tested negative for Covid-19 after a worker at her residence was confirmed to be infected, her spokesman said on Thursday (May 20), as the island reported 286 new domestic cases amid a spike in infections.
Having for months been held up as an example of how to stop the virus in its tracks, Taiwan has over the past two weeks reported a spiralling number of infections in the community, with 1,572 cases.
Presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang said a person who helped look after dogs at Ms Tsai's residence was confirmed infected on Wednesday, and Ms Tsai and 24 of her staff were immediately tested but found to be negative.
"The president is healthy and safe, please rest assured," Mr Chang added, saying her residence was being disinfected.
Ms Tsai is an animal lover and her pets include three retired guide dogs for the blind.
Both the presidential office and Ms Tsai's nearby official residence are close to Taipei's Wanhua district, one of the epicentres of the outbreak.
Thursday's tally was up on the 267 infections reported on Wednesday. There was also one new death, an elderly woman who lived on her own and had underlying health conditions, bringing the death toll since the pandemic began to 15.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said that the percentage of confirmed cases was falling among people being tested in the capital, Taipei, and neighbouring New Taipei City, where the worst of the outbreak has been concentrated.
"At present, it seems like the trend is not deteriorating sharply," he told a news briefing.
The official Central News Agency said Taiwan's Parliament would be suspended for a week starting from Saturday, though some committee sessions have already been cancelled.
While ministers say the medical system overall is coping well with the rise in infections, strains are starting to show in Taipei in particular, which is appealing for retired medical staff to step forward and help.
In another sign of hope for Taiwan, more than 400,000 new vaccines arrived on Wednesday via the Covax sharing initiative for lower-income countries. The new batch adds to the 300,000 it has already received but which are rapidly depleting.
Taiwan has ordered more than 20 million vaccines, a mixture of Moderna and AstraZeneca shots as well as domestically-developed vaccines that could start being given from July.
Possibly signalling the Moderna shots could be arriving soon, Mr Chen said the company had sent "kits" over so they could start making preparations.
Taiwan has only received AstraZeneca shots so far, with less than 1 per cent of its more than 23 million people vaccinated, after being caught up in global supply problems.
