Taiwan has extended its second-highest Covid-19 alert level for three more weeks until June 14, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced today, as the island battles its biggest coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic last year.
The level 3 alert requires people to wear masks at all times in public and prohibits indoor gatherings of more than five people. The restrictions will be applicable across the island, said Taiwan's Health Minister Chen Shih-chung.
All students have been asked to take lessons remotely until June 14.
Chen added that Taiwan is expected to receive two million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in June, though he did not specify which vaccines the island would receive.
The extension comes as Taiwan reported 281 new local Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, Chen said. A total of 49 of those cases were reported in capital Taipei, while 154 were reported in New Taipei City -- a region in northern Taiwan that surrounds the capital.
In addition, more than 261 Covid-19 cases were found to have been left out of the total count in previous days due to reporting delays, causing the CECC to revise up Taiwan's final number of infections.
After the revision, Taiwan has confirmed 5,456 Covid-19 cases. The island reported six more deaths from Covid-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll since the beginning fo the pandemic to 35.