Simplified Chinese

Taiwan tightens quarantine rules for travelers from Europe, the Americas

Source: XinhuaUpdated: 2020-04-15

TAIPEI, April 14 -- Taiwan authorities announced Tuesday that they will tighten quarantine rules for travelers from Europe and the Americas from April 18 in a bid to control the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Travelers who have been to Europe and the Americas since April 4 should be quarantined at registered hotels in Taiwan if they live with people aged above 65 or below 6, or with patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, the island's epidemic monitoring agency said in a press release.

Those whose residences in Taiwan do not have independent bedrooms or private toilets will also have to be quarantined in registered hotels, the statement added.

The travelers will have to provide certain documents to prove they do not need to stay at hotels for quarantine before they board the flights to Taiwan, according to the agency.

Those who submit false information will face a fine up to 150,000 New Taiwan dollars (about 4,988 U.S. dollars).

Since March 19, all international travelers have been required to be quarantined at their residences for 14 days upon their arrival but no restrictions have been imposed on the residences they choose to stay at.

According to the agency, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan stood at 393, 338 of whom were imported. A total of 124 confirmed patients have recovered and six died.