COVID-19 patients in Taiwan rise to 339

TAIPEI - The total number of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Taiwan has increased by 10 to 339, the island's epidemic monitoring agency said Thursday.

Eight of the new patients, six men and two women, were believed to have contracted the virus during their trips overseas while the other two patients were believed to be infected locally, the agency said in a press release.

One of the local cases, a man in his 50s, had contact with a previously confirmed patient while the infection source of the other case, a woman in her 50s, remained unclear, the statement said.

Among the island's confirmed COVID-19 cases, 291 were imported. A total of 50 confirmed patients have recovered, and five died.

The island's authorities also announced that all local hospitals will not receive visitors from Thursday and from Friday international travelers with a fever or respiratory symptoms will take COVID-19 tests at airports and be taken to designated locations for quarantine.