U.S. citizen in Taiwan confirmed to contract COVID-19

A U.S. citizen living in Taiwan was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the island's epidemic monitoring agency said Friday.

The new patient, a man in his 50s, was suspected of contracting the disease while receiving four friends from the United States from Feb. 24 to 26, the agency said in a press release.

He began to develop chills, cough and fever on Feb. 27 and has been hospitalized since March 7 before his diagnosis was confirmed Friday, the statement said.

The man's visiting friends are two couples. One person of a couple showed symptoms of chills, cough and fatigue on Feb. 24 in Taiwan and the other developed similar symptoms after leaving Taiwan, while the couple's family member in the U.S. was confirmed to have contracted the disease on March 10, according to the agency.

One person of the other couple also reported respiratory symptoms after leaving Taiwan, the statement added.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Taiwan has risen to 50, among whom 23 were imported. A total of 20 patients have recovered and one died of the disease while the rest are in stable condition, according to the agency.

Meanwhile, the 361 Taiwan residents, who returned from Hubei Province to Taiwan Tuesday evening, have been tested negative for the virus and quarantined at several locations, the agency said. Enditem