TAIPEI (Reuters) – A senior Taiwanese security official has contracted COVID-19 but has only light symptoms and has not had recent contact with President Tsai Ing-wen, the presidential office said on Wednesday.
Wellington Koo, Secretary-General of the National Security Council, was confirmed positive by a rapid test after developing symptoms earlier on Wednesday and is now in isolation, presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang said in a statement.
The council comes directly under Tsai, who is its chairwoman, and is Taiwan’s top security organ whose meetings are attended by the president, vice president, premier, foreign and defence ministers and other senior officials.
Council adviser Chen Chun-lin and two presidential office staff have also tested positive, Chang added.
None has had recent direct contact with Tsai or Vice President William Lai, the work of the presidential office and council remain unaffected, and Koo will work remotely, he said.
Koo’s wife is Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua. Her office said she had tested negative and was in good health.
The island of 23 million people has reported around 3.7 million COVID-19 infections so far this year, having previously kept the pandemic well under control, though new cases are now waning.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
