Press Release of the Offshore Control Division of the Executive Yuan's SARS Epidemic Prevention, Control and Relief Committee
Today (May 16), the Offshore Control Division again linked up with the CKS International Airport and the Kaohsiung International Airport for a video conference. A main focus of the session were suggestions by the Kinmen County government to "implement special home quarantine measures of SARS epidemic prevention and control for all travelers entering Kinmen from Taiwan (main island)," and to "temporarily shut down the transportation between Kinmen and Xiamen," i.e. temporarily close down the "Mini-Three-Links." In response to these proposals, the Offshore Control Division declared that the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Ministry of the Interior would invite all related governmental agencies for a discussion this afternoon to evaluate the suggestions. The results of that meeting will then be submitted to the Executive Yuan for a final decision.
The WHO has already removed Toronto, Canada, from its list of "areas with recent local transmission of SARS." In response to that, the Offshore Control Division announced that emergency quarantine measures taken for the entrants will no longer apply for travelers from that area, and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will announce as soon as possible that Taiwan has taken Canada off its quarantine list. The Offshore Control Division stressed that the review or revision of restrictions on visa services and related quarantine measures will be handled in swift response to the changing epidemic situation in different areas, and in accordance with the latest SARS updates by the WHO.
Since the Offshore Control Division began its work in late April, it has enhanced the monitoring of both Taiwan residents and travelers entering from abroad, and strengthened entry/exit quarantine procedures at airports and harbors. Good results have been achieved in the reporting of the entrants to be quarantined to the supervising authority by airport/harbor personnel so as to implement quarantine measures accordingly, and reducing the frequency of overall entries/exits. The Offshore Control Division declared that its prevention and quarantine mission is running smooth now, and that all related governmental agencies would continue their efforts at the implementation and strengthening of all epidemic prevention measures, and live up to their role as the first line of defense against SARS.
An enhanced crackdown on illegal immigration and smuggling remains one of the key tasks of the Offshore Control Division. Currently, the investigation and arrest plan of the "SARS Cleanup Mission" is implemented more strictly by the governmental agencies of coast guard, sea patrol as well as agricultural and fisheries administration. In accordance with the aforementioned plan, the goal is, by way of powerful investigation and arrest as well as through strict ban, to "eradicate illegal activities on the sea, seize offenders onshore and offshore, and cleanup the inland." To provide a larger incentive for the population to report stowaways to the authorities, the Offshore Control Division has already decided to increase the reward offered for providing information about stowaways from NT$ 1,000 per seized offender to NT$ 3,000 per head. The Offshore Control Division calls on the population to help enthusiastically to provide as many clues as possible. The reward proposal will be in force as of today. The CGA hotline for reporting illegal activities is 118, while the MOI National Police Administration's hotline is 110.
The Offshore Control Division stressed that all cases of smuggling fish or agricultural products from the Mainland uncovered by the CGA will be handled strictly in accordance with quarantine and prevention measures. This means that no matter whether they have violated the "Statute for the Punishment of Smuggling" or not, all those involved in such cases who in their dealings have or may have had contact with people from the Mainland or other SARS-infected areas, will be placed under quarantine. As of yesterday (May 15), the CGA had put a total of 25 people under quarantine, three of them at home, the other 22 aboard their ships. A total of five ships were placed under quarantine.