Taiwan extends Covid health emergency until July 26

Beijing, Jul 8 (EFE).- Taiwanese authorities on Thursday extended the level three national health alert linked to Covid-19, which enforces the closure of public areas and some commercial activities, for two more weeks until Jul. 26, despite relaxing some restrictions to allow more social activity.

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Thursday that there was still a risk of community spread of the coronavirus, even though the island has registered less than 100 daily cases on average in recent days, state news agency CNA reported.

Despite extending the alert, from Jul. 13 the authorities will allow the reopening of restaurants, libraries, museums, cinema halls and gyms on the condition that they ensure physical distancing between their clients.

However, bars and nightclubs will remain closed.

The government had first announced a level 3 alert on May 19 and later extended it several times.

The alert results in the closure of schools and the mandatory requirement of wearing masks outside the house, among other measures.

Since a fresh Covid surge was detected in the country in May, authorities have registered over 13,800 fresh infections and 706 deaths, according to CNA.

The government said on Thursday that 21 news cases, including 18 transmitted locally, and 3 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Taiwan has registered a total of 15,149 infections and 718 deaths due to the disease.

The island’s authorities said on Thursday that a batch of 410,000 anti-Covid vaccines produced by United-States based pharma company Moderna was now ready to be distributed to the population.