Taiwan Finds 1St Case Of South African COVID-19 Variant

Taiwan has confirmed its first case of the South African coronavirus variant, local media reported on Wednesday.

The new strain was detected in a man from Eswatini, who arrived in Taiwan on Dec. 24 and tested positive on Jan. 3, according to Radio Taiwan International (RTI).

Health authorities confirmed the South African variant case during genetic sequencing of previous positive tests.

Taiwan also found five cases of the UK variant during the review, according to the RTI report.

Authorities have now made it mandatory for all arrivals from South Africa and Eswatini to quarantine at a government facility.

The condition also applies to people who may have visited South Africa and Eswatini within two weeks of arrival in Taiwan.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid -