Over 160 Domestic COVID-19 Cases in Just Five Days 5天累計逾160例本土確診 疫情延燒到校園

The domestic epidemic situation is worsening, with over 160 local cases in just five days. This wave has struck campuses. Two Hsinchu County elementary schools have suspended classes until after the Qingming Festival long weekend. A Taipei junior high school also conducted testing and switched to online learning.

Students disinfect their hands before entering the campus. An elementary school student recently tested positive, and the school sent out a message to parents on March 28 that classes would be suspended until after the Qingming Festival long weekend for students and teachers in the same class. In other words, classes won't resume until April 6. The Datan Power Plant cluster infection has brought COVID-19 onto campuses. Two Hsinchu elementary schools suspended classes as a precautionary measure after parents tested positive.

Yang Chun-tzu, Director, Education Bureau, Hsinchu County: “As of right now, 72 students and 15 teachers have been identified as potential contacts. The Education Bureau is conducting related testing.”

A Taipei junior high school has a teacher who is a relative of the National Taiwan Ocean University professor that tested positive, so the entire school was tested. It also switched to online learning for some students. 

A Taipei Junior High School Spokesperson: “Today, 152 students and 88 teachers were tested. Online learning was held for five classes. The other classes attended school as usual. We had in-person learning and online learning. ”

The number of cases in a cluster linked to a Keelung eatery and police officers is rising. It was announced on the evening of March 28 that another police officer tested positive in a PCR test, and potential contacts are quarantining. There are currently 11 transmission chains making inroads whose sources are unknown. The Qingming Festival long weekend is right around the corner, and the epidemic situation may worsen substantially. One expert says there is no need to worry as long as disease prevention measures are implemented well.

Lee Ping-ing, Member, Advisory Specialist Panel, CECC: “Friends and relatives who haven't seen each other in a long time may hug or shake hands. If you can avoid these actions, then avoid them. ”

Experts say many people immediately take off their masks and start talking when they enter a restaurant. This increases the risk of droplet infection. Many past clusters originated at wedding receptions and restaurants, so people are reminded to stay masked unless they are eating or drinking.

小朋友上學前先進行手部消毒才能進入校園，因為又傳出有國小學生確診。校方28日晚間緊急發簡訊通知家長，該班學生和任課老師將停課到清明節連假後，4月6日再恢復上課，由於大潭電廠爆發群聚，疫情延燒到校園，新竹縣已有2所國小，因為家長確診而進行預防性停課。

新竹縣教育局長楊郡慈指出：「目前為止總共匡列的人數，學生有72人，老師有15人，衛生局都已經進行相關的採檢。」

另外在台北市也有一所國中，因該教師為海大確診教授的家屬，全校進行預防性篩檢，並採取線上教學。

北市某國中發言人表示：「今天有152位學生與88位老師進行採檢，5個班級進行視訊教學，其他班級正常上課，有實體也有提供視訊。」

不只大潭電廠群聚持續延燒，基隆小吃店衍生警察群聚案，28日晚間再傳出新增1名警官PCR陽性，相關人員已匡列隔離中；外界擔憂，國內不明感染源傳播鏈增加到11條。清明連假即將到來，疫情是否大爆發？專家認為，只要把口罩等防疫措施做好，不必過度緊張。

疫情指揮中心專家諮詢小組委員李秉穎表示：「親友很久不見了，可能會有擁抱、握手等等這些比較親密的動作，最好能夠避免就避免。」

專家提醒，很多民眾一進到餐廳，就會脫下口罩交談，增加飛沫傳播的風險，過去很多大型群聚，都是從婚宴及餐廳往外延燒，因此建議除了用餐、喝水外，還是要維持戴口罩的衛生習慣。