《TAIPEI TIMES》 CECC reports 23 local infections

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Central Epidemic Command Center （CECC） yesterday reported 23 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and one death, while saying that it might soon allow people under the age of 50 to register for vaccines.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung （陳時中）, who heads the center, said the local cases, 13 males and 10 females, began experiencing symptoms between June 20 and Sunday, and nine of them tested positive during or upon ending quarantine.

New Taipei City reported 10 cases, followed by Taipei with nine, and Hsinchu City, Keelung, Taichung and Taoyuan with one case each, he said.

The infection sources of 17 of the cases have been identified, while four remain unclear and two are under investigation, he said.

The effective reproductive number, or the average number of secondary cases per infectious case, has remained under one for three consecutive weeks, indicating that the COVID-19 situation is under control, he said.

“Unless large cluster infections occur in the future, the daily case count is likely t