Passengers transfer at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport March 23 before a transit ban comes into force the following day. (CNA)

Airline passengers cannot transit in Taiwan from March 24 to April 7 as part of government efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center.
 
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate and the number of imported infections in Taiwan grows, the CECC said the measure will reduce risk of contagion induced by cross-border passenger flow.
 
The move follows an entry ban introduced in Taiwan last week on most nonresident foreign citizens. In response to the concerns held by many visitors regarding the policy’s impact, the Bureau of Consular Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said noncitizens who entered on or before March 21 via standard visitor arrival channels and who have not exceeded their legal stay will receive an automatic 30-day extension for a maximum stay of 180 days.
 
The BOCA said it will continue to monitor the spread of the disease abroad and adjust the country’s immigration regulations accordingly.
 
Latest statistics from the CECC reveal 215 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan as of March 23, with two deaths. A total of 366,414 cases have been identified in 171 other countries and territories. (SFC-E)