The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has confirmed another new case of COVID-19 in a cluster of infections originating at Taoyuan International Airport, and another potential case is still being checked.

A security guard tested positive for the virus, CECC chief Chen Shih-chung (???) said late Friday night, bringing the number of cases in the cluster to 12.

The potential case that has yet to be confirmed involves a taxi driver responsible for transporting arriving travelers to quarantine locations, Chen said.

The driver has tested positive for COVID-19, but the driver’s cycle threshold (CT) value was relatively high, indicating a low viral load, and a new test has been conducted to determine if this is an actual COVID-19 case, Chen said.

Earlier Friday, Chen said the the cluster likely began with an airport cleaner in her 50s who was confirmed Wednesday to have contracted the disease.

The outbreak has occurred amid a sharp rise in the numbers of travelers arriving at Taiwan’s main international gateway in Taoyuan who have the virus, as the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 causes case numbers to spike abroad.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel