{"id":114335,"date":"2021-05-15T09:13:38","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T09:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=114335"},"modified":"2021-05-15T09:13:38","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T09:13:38","slug":"taiwan-tightens-curbs-after-surge-in-domestic-covid-19-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/markets\/taiwan-tightens-curbs-after-surge-in-domestic-covid-19-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"Taiwan tightens curbs after surge in domestic COVID-19 cases"},"content":{"rendered":"
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan raised its coronavirus alert level on Saturday in the capital, Taipei, and the city around it, bringing curbs for a period of two weeks that will shut many venues and restrict gatherings in the wake of 180 new domestic infections.<\/p> The new rules will not mean offices, schools or restaurants have to close, but will cause the shutdown of cinemas and other entertainment spots, while limiting family get-togethers to five people indoors and 10 outdoors.<\/p>\n For the first time, masks will have to be worn outdoors.<\/p>\n Taipei\u2019s government has already ordered bars, nightclubs and similar venues to shut.<\/p>\n Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said a \u201clevel of risk\u201d in certain hot spots, such as Taipei\u2019s gritty Wanhua district, had spurred the decision to raise the alert level.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly by doing this can infections be dealt with and controlled,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je urged people to stay home as much as possible, adding that schools should teach online.<\/p>\n Related Coverage<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cDuring this time, if you have nothing on, then stay at home and don\u2019t go out, and if you do, wear a mask to reduce infection from droplets,\u201d said Ko, a doctor by training.<\/p>\n -President Tsai Ing-wen\u2019s spokesman said she would reduce the number of \u201cunnecessary meetings\u201d or public events. The presidential office is close to Wanhua.<\/p>\n The rising community infections unnerved the stock market this week, but at the same news conference, Premier Su Tseng-chang reiterated that the island\u2019s economic fundamentals remain good.<\/p>\n Deputy Finance Minister Frank Juan told Reuters authorities would watch market reaction on Monday, adding that he did not rule out calling a meeting of the National Stabilisation Fund, which the government can use to smooth large fluctuations.<\/p>\n Investors should act rationally, he said, pointing out that only a few sectors would be affected by the curbs, such as tourism, rather than the island\u2019s crucial foreign trade.<\/p>\n The new restrictions do not apply to the chip-manufacturing hub of Hsinchu, and are unlikely to affect exports of semiconductors, a global shortage of which has shut some car factories.<\/p> Taiwan has millions of vaccine doses on order from Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca Plc, though only a small number have arrived from the latter due to global shortages and vaccination rates remain low.<\/p>\n More vaccines will start arriving next month, Tsai has said.<\/p>\n Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has reported fewer than 1,500 cases among a population of about 24 million, most of them imported from abroad, but a recent rise in community transmissions has spooked residents.<\/p>\n The island has never gone into a full lockdown and its people are used to life carrying on near normal, despite the pandemic ranging in many other parts of the world.<\/p>\n