Airline sacks pilot blamed for Taiwan's primary neighborhood COVID-19 infection since April
24 December, 2020
A pilot blamed for infecting two colleagues and causing Taiwan's first area coronavirus transmission since April was fired on Wednesday (Dec 23), his airline said.
The island's clean streak of 253 days without local COVID-19 infections ended on Tuesday after an area woman who had contact with the pilot, a fresh Zealander, tested positive.
The person - who worked for Taiwan's EVA Airways - was slapped with an excellent of NT$300,000 (US$10,600) for failing woefully to "truthfully declare" his contacts and activities to wellbeing authorities once he learned he was infected.
The airline in a statement said he previously violated pandemic prevention regulations and caused "serious harm to the business's reputation and image".
The New Zealander didn't wear a mask while working earlier this month despite being reminded by a Taiwanese pilot, who along with a Japanese colleague also tested positive, according to EVA Airways.
He was first reported to have already been coughing throughout a flight to america on Dec 12.
Health minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday that 170 out of 173 people who had connection with the infected local female had tested undesirable for the virus, with three benefits pending.
Authorities said the pilot visited several places, including two shops, but had claimed he cannot recall where he previously been. He also didn't disclose his contact with the woman.
Pilots arriving found in Taiwan currently undergo only 3 times of quarantine after every overseas trip, weighed against the stricter two-week requirement for other international travellers. Authorities nowadays plan to tighten those rules.
The infection is a blow for an island that is lauded because of its pandemic response, having recorded 776 coronavirus cases and seven deaths after closing its borders early and implementing strict quarantine rules.
Since Apr 12, all positive cases have already been from a tiny number of locals time for the island, in addition to the handful of foreigners allowed set for business reasons.
Source: