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TAIPEI: A pilot accused of infecting two colleagues and causing the first local transmission of coronavirus in Taiwan since April was fired on Wednesday (December 23), his airline said.
The island’s clean streak of 253 days with no local COVID-19 infections ended on Tuesday after a local woman who had contact with the pilot, a New Zealander, tested positive.
The man, who worked for Taiwan’s EVA Airways, was fined NT $ 300,000 (US $ 10,600) for failing to “truthfully disclose” his contacts and activities to health authorities once he learned he was infected.
The airline in a statement said it had violated pandemic prevention regulations and caused “serious damage to the reputation and image of the company.”
The New Zealander did not wear a mask while on duty earlier this month despite being reminded by a Taiwanese pilot, who along with a Japanese colleague also tested positive, according to EVA Airways.
It was reported that he had been coughing during a flight to the United States on December 12.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday that 170 of the 173 people who had contact with the infected local woman tested negative for the virus, with three results pending.
READ: Keep Calm, Says Taiwan After First Local COVID-19 Case in 8 Months
Authorities said the pilot visited several locations, including two department stores, but claimed he could not remember where he had been. He also did not reveal his contact with the woman.
Pilots arriving in Taiwan currently undergo only three days of quarantine after each trip abroad, compared to the more stringent two-week requirement for other international travelers. Authorities now plan to toughen those rules.
The infection is a blow to an island that has been lauded for its pandemic response, having recorded 776 coronavirus cases and seven deaths after closing its borders early and implementing strict quarantine rules.
Since April 12, all positive cases have been from a small number of locals who returned to the island, as well as from the few foreigners allowed for commercial reasons.
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