Taiwan reported 16,352 new local cases of COVID-19 on Monday. That’s the lowest number for more than three months.
If you take into account the population of each area of Taiwan, the Penghu Islands are a hotspot for the virus. More than 100 people have new cases of COVID there in a population of just over 100,000. Miaoli County is also dealing with a high number of infections, as is Hualien County.
Among Monday’s COVID numbers were two more local cases of the BA.5 subvariant. The Omicron strain is causing new waves of infections in Europe. Monday’s new cases were not related to each other, and neither person had left the country recently.
Taiwan also reported its second imported case of the BA.2.75 subvariant in a traveler coming from Thailand.
Another 36 people have died from COVID-19. Most were over the age of 80, and less than half had taken three doses of a COVID vaccine.
Authorities say another 39 people are suffering from moderate or severe symptoms of the disease.
Taiwan also recorded 232 imported cases of COVID-19 on Monday.