Press Release of the Offshore Control Division of
the Executive Yuan's SARS Epidemic Management Committee
This morning (May 4), the Offshore Control Division of the Executive Yuan's SARS Epidemic Management Committee held its seventh meeting. To prevent contacts between peoples of Taiwan area and Mainland area from creating loopholes in Taiwan's SARS prevention efforts, a resolution was passed to create a “SARS Cleanup Mission.” This task was delegated to the Coast Guard Administration under the Executive Yuan and the National Police Administration, MOI. The goal of their mission is to encourage the population to come forward and report cases of illegal smuggling/immigration.
Both departments have hotlines (Coast Guard Administration: 118/National Police Administration: 110) where people can report smuggling and illegal entries into Taiwan. Where such reports lead to the apprehension of smugglers/smuggled goods, the usual rewards have been doubled. Where reports lead to the apprehension of illegal immigrants, a reward of NT$ 1,000 per head will be issued. These regulations are valid from May 1, 2003 to June 30, 2003, but their validity may be extended if necessary.
During the session, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) and the National Police Administration (NPA) delivered their reports on the implementation of the SARS Cleanup Mission. The CGA declared that it will continue its heightened efforts at preventing maritime smuggling and illegal immigration activities by ROC nationals and the Mainland people. Fishing vessels and their crews caught engaging in such activities will be placed under compulsory quarantine for ten days to prevent criminal activities at sea from creating loopholes in Taiwan's anti-SARS efforts.
The CGA will also mobilize the Council of Agriculture and other related departments to cooperate in the checking of all fishing vessels (100%) that enter Taiwan's seaports/harbors. This includes an immediate on-the-seacoast investigation of the fishing gear and the catch made. Should equipment and catch be distinguished as obviously inadequate for a fishing boat, and be proved as evidence for criminal activities at sea. The ship crew will be severely punished according to the Fisheries Law. Boat and ship will be placed under a 10-day compulsory quarantine and be barred from going to sea. The CGA will also ask the Ministry of Defense (MOD) to increase sea and coast patrols in an effort to drive out Mainland Chinese fishing boats that have illegally entered Taiwan sea territory. All these ships will be reported, searched and seized to reduce criminal activities at sea or in coastal waters to zero.
The CGA reported that yesterday (May 3) it had discovered that the fishing vessel Yuchen II (CT4-2128), based in the Tamshui Harbor, had put out to sea at 2 a.m. on May 3, and had meet on sea with a Mainland fishing boat to deliver one of its Mainland crew members to that Mainland ship to take him to the Mainland, and then the Yuchen II returned to the Tamshui Harbor at 2 p.m. of the same day. The boat and its crew were all put under a 10-day quarantine.
With regard to the nation's commercial ports, the MOTC reported that currently compulsory ear temperature checks are in place for all passengers traveling on domestic lines or on the “Mini-Three-Links” route. In addition, all shipping companies have been ordered to clean and sterilize their ships and cabins, and to enhance disinfection and other precautionary measures with regard to ship crew and passengers. Starting 6 p.m., May 2, all crew and passengers traveling back and forth on the Xiamen-Kinmen route are required to wear surgical masks during the entire length of the trip. All Taiwan harbor administrations and the Kinmen Harbor administration have followed this directive relaying SARS prevention measures to shipping operators to provide surgical masks, and passengers to prepare masks for travel. Harbor administrations have also assigned special staff to supervise compliance with this regulation at the piers. According to their reports, related measures have been implemented smoothly. No cases of SARS related to sea travel have so far been reported, which may largely be due to the fact that Taiwan's commercial ports are mostly frequented by cargo vessels. The amount of passengers, especially when compared with air travel, is relatively small. Meanwhile, the Mailiao Industrial Harbor in Yunlin and the Hoping Industrial Harbor in Hualian are under the jurisdiction of the Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA. SARS prevention measures there are being carried out by the Industrial Harbor Administration Corporation. All harbor administrations under the MOTC have compiled lists of the measures taken, and reported about their experiences so far. The Industrial Development Bureau is due to give its related report to the Offshore Control Division tomorrow (May 4).
Finally, there have been media reports stating that “home quarantine is very relaxed because supervision is extremely lax.” To this the Offshore Control Division has to say that according to the Compulsory Quarantine Notice for SARS Prevention, it is the duty of quarantine subjects to comply with all quarantine regulations. Compliance should not be measured in terms of the (frequency of) control visits conducted by staff of the local health authority in charge. In other words, it is hoped that in this critical time of epidemic prevention, the entire population should cooperate and everybody comply with all prevention and quarantine measures of their own accord to ensure their own health and safety as well as that of their family, friends, and the entire nation.