TAIPEI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- One more person was confirmed to be infected by the novel coronavirus in Taiwan Wednesday, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases to 23, according to the island's epidemic monitoring agency.
The patient is the 60-year-old sister of the 19th confirmed case in Taiwan, also the first COVID-19 death on the island, the agency said at a press conference.
She was believed to be infected at a family gathering on Jan. 27 and showed symptoms of fever, cough and throat irritation on Feb. 5, the agency said, adding that her infection was confirmed after four tests.
The 19th case was a taxi driver in his 60s living in central Taiwan who died of pneumonia and septicemia on Feb. 15. As of now, four of his relatives, his mother, brother, sister and the husband of his niece have been infected.
Among the people who had close contact with the five patients, 189 have been cleared and 24 are still under examination.
