TAIPEI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan has recorded 19 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, the highest weekly figure since April, the local epidemic monitoring agency said Sunday.
With the pandemic escalating around the world, Taiwan is facing mounting pressure over epidemic control, Lo Yi-chun, an official with the agency told a press conference.
Lo attributed the high weekly figure to the increase in number of imported COVID-19 cases as the epidemic sees a resurgence in Europe, North America and some parts of Asia.
Last week also saw a large number of students and workers from outside Taiwan finishing their quarantine and taking the tests as requested, he added.
The new cases were detected during quarantine and hardly affected local communities, Lo said, adding that the authorities will step up containment measures related to travelers and try their best to prevent a second outbreak in Taiwan.
Four persons who had traveled from Indonesia and the Philippines tested positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan Sunday, bringing the island's total number of infections to 577.
Among the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, seven died, 524 recovered, and 46 others remain hospitalized, according to the agency. Enditem
