Taitung County Councilor Tests Positive 台東縣議員許進榮確診 曾赴宜蘭.中部進香

Taitung County Councilor Hsu Chin-jung tested positive after returning from a trip with a group to Yilan and central Taiwan to attend religious events. According to reports, 20 people in the group tested positive. 

The Taitung County Council is currently in the midst of an extraordinary session. On April 13, it was reported that independent Councilor Hsu Chin-jung tested positive after returning from a trip with a group on April 7 to Yilan and central Taiwan to attend religious events. The Public Health Bureau set up a rapid testing site outside the council on April 14 to test councilors and staff members. The extraordinary session was suspended.

Hsu Chin-jung, Taitung County Councilor: “Thank you to everyone for your concern, and I apologize.”

Yang Chih-lung, Secretary, Taitung County Council: “Those who came into close contact with the councilor yesterday are being notified that they should quarantine at home.”

According to reports, 20 people in the group attending the religious events tested positive. Three contacts also tested positive. Taitung reported 23 new cases on April 14, and many people were required to quarantine. They included family members of students, so two elementary schools and two kindergartens have suspended classes for two days. Five junior high and senior high school classes have also suspended school for two days. There is also a Green Island resident among the cases, and there are worries that this case will affect the upcoming peak travel season.

He Fu-hsiang, Chairperson, Lyudao Council: “I asked the township office to disinfect the entire island and health institutions to set up rapid testing sites.”

A rapid testing site was set up on April 14 at Chenggong Seaside Park. The county government also announced the suspension of activities outside the county for elementary schools and kindergartens until May 13, and campuses will be closed to the public.

台東縣議會進行正在進行臨時會，但13日深夜傳出成功地區無黨籍縣議員許進榮，4月7日跟團到宜蘭和中部進香，回台東後確診，衛生局14日在縣議會門口搭設快篩站，緊急啟動議會議員和員工的快篩，臨時會也宣布停開。

台東縣議會秘書楊志隆表示：「昨天跟我們議員有密切接觸的部分，現在就是我們大概都統一通知說，先做居家隔離的部分。」

目前傳出縣議員跟團進香的31名成員中已有20人確診，還有其他接觸者案例3人確診，台東14日爆增23例，被被匡列人數也不少，由於有學生家人也被匡列，現在有2所國小和2所幼兒園停課2天，另外國高中有5個班級停課2天。台東的疫情現在燒了起來，確診者中還有1名綠島的確診者，讓綠島人很緊張，擔心影響旅遊旺季的觀光。

綠島鄉代會主席何富祥表示：「我就要求鄉公所轄區，全島全面性的大消毒，也要求衛生所設立快篩站。」

台東縣衛生局14日下午在成功鎮海濱公園設立快篩站，呼籲民眾前往快篩；另外縣府也宣布到5月13日前，全縣國小和幼兒園停止跨縣市活動，校園也不開放。