CECC raises COVID-19 risk level for Thailand, Bhutan, Australia

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday changed the classification of Thailand, Bhutan and Australia from countries with a low risk of COVID-19 to having low-to-moderate risk, citing a rise in domestic cases in those places.

The reclassification means that business travelers from the three countries will have to go into quarantine for slightly longer than they were previously required to upon arrival in Taiwan, although they can still enjoy shorter quarantine periods than regular travelers.

According to the CECC, Thailand’s central Samut Sakhon Province has recently seen a surge in domestic cases. As nearby regions such as Bangkok have also reported cases, it means that the disease could be spreading even further, which is why the country’s designation has been changed.

In Bhutan’s capital Thimphu, locally transmitted cases with no clear source of…