Passenger on hantavirus-hit cruise ship tests negative in Taiwan

Passenger on hantavirus-hit cruise ship tests negative in Taiwan

2026-05-15

A passenger who came to Taiwan after being on the hantavirus-hit Dutch cruise ship the MV Hondius, has tested negative for the disease. Since the outbreak in April, three have died while aboard the vessel. The traveler, who’s from New Zealand, had arrived in Taiwan on May 7, but was only notified to get tested a little under a week later. Although the traveler tested negative, they are required to self-monitor their health and refrain from traveling around Taiwan until June 6. Let’s hear from the Centers for Disease Control.

Philip Lo
Centers for Disease Control
It’s a lone traveler of foreign nationality, a New Zealander. They’re now feeling rather anxious about it. They tested negative, so the virus was not brought into Taiwan. But we cannot rule out the risk of them developing symptoms. They’re allowed to take walks in spacious areas in the hospital while wearing an N95 mask, so they’re not cooped up all the time. As for why we only got notified of their entry on May 13, even though it was already known that they had entered May 7, we’ve already asked our foreign affairs team to ask for clarifications from New Zealand.

The head of the CDC also said that the traveler had fully paid for their own medical costs, and that they pose no risk of transmission, having tested negative. Therefore, their whereabouts before testing will not be publicized. The CDC emphasized that both Taiwan and New Zealand will closely monitor their condition, so the public doesn’t have to panic.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#hantavirus #publichealth #diseasecontrol #cruiseship #mvhondius

漢他群聚郵輪1紐西蘭籍旅客來台疾管署:類隔離至6/6

2026-05-15

荷蘭籍豪華郵輪「洪迪亞斯號」，日前爆出嚴重漢他病毒群聚，釀成3人死亡，疾管署證實，船上一名紐西蘭籍旅客，下船後來到台灣，玩了一周後才接獲通報採檢，確認為陰性，但為求慎重，這位人士必須類隔離到6月6號，才能出關。

[[疾管署長羅一鈞]]
“孤身一人，外籍人士，紐西蘭籍的人士(來台)。他目前的心情是相當的焦慮不安。檢驗陰性，所以他並沒有把病毒帶進台灣來，還是存在些微有可能會，發病的風險存在。院內一些空曠的地方，來做一些戴N95(口罩)，有限度的散步，讓他有機會可以出來。為什麼7號就掌握到13號才通知我們，這部份我們已經透過外交的管道再去請紐西蘭能夠提供一些聯繫的經過，讓我們能夠了解。”

疾管署長也強調，這名旅客全程自費就醫，採檢陰性沒有傳播風險，因此不公布足跡和接觸者，台紐兩國會密切關注，請民眾放心。

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Couple’s passionate moment at national park livestreamed to world

A 23-year-old man and his girlfriend inadvertently became the stars of an adult cam show during a moment of passion at Yangmingshan National Park. The two lovers were having a heart-to-heart exchange on a picnic table at night, which was followed by a body-to-body exchange captured on a security cam livestream. More than 1,000 people tuned in to watch the spectacle, which could come at the price of a NT$9,000 or 1 year in prison for public indecency.

A sleepless couple admires the mountain scenery as they have a heart-to-heart. Moments later, passion took over.

Lee Yu-han
FTV reporter
Qingtiangang is an ideal spot for a romantic late night outing with your significant other. But if things get steamy, be warned that there is a camera livestreaming your every nook and cranny.

The young lovers got their heart pumping here, at the Qingtiangang Grassland on Yangmingshan. And their tender moments were broadcast for the world to see. This picnic table has become a red-hot destination, luring many people over for a look.

Member of public
Visiting picnic table
I came here expressly to check out this landmark. It’s crazy. Why would anyone get it on in full view of the camera!

Member of public
Visiting picnic table
Everyone on Threads was posting about it. I also caught a bit of the livestream last night. I wanted to see if there were any traces of the moment, but no.

After the incident came to light, cleaning staff was dispatched to give the table a thorough wipe. The livestream footage wasn’t very clear as it was late at night, but the sounds of love were captured by the camera’s microphone. The intimate meeting however, constitutes a crime of public indecency, and police have tracked down a 23-year-old man surnamed Kao thanks to his license plate. He admitted to driving his girlfriend up the mountain and said he would take time off work to make a statement with the police, but apparently didn’t show up.

Lee Yu-sheng
Lawyer unrelated to case
Be it intentionally or not, if you are filmed by a security camera, as long as you are seen or heard by strangers in a public space, it constitutes as public indecency.

The security camera inadvertently became an adult live cam, garnering more than 1,000 simultaneous viewers. In contrast, the other cams at the national park get single-digit figures at best. But this moment of glory could cost the couple a penny, as they are now facing up to a year behind bars or a fine of up to NT$9,000.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#nature #funny #lol #caughtintheact #yangmingshan #taipei #陽明山

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Older adults face discrimination in Taiwanese rental market

Taiwan has already become a super-aged society. However, despite this, few landlords seem to be willing to rent to older adults, leaving many of them unable to find suitable housing. Reasons for this include Taiwanese taboos about death and general age discrimination. Let’s find out more about how these elderly people are faring.

This place was originally a vegetable market, but the owner later converted it into private room in a shared apartment and rented it them out to elderly people who live alone at a low rent.

Mr. Chiang
Older solo renter
At first, I felt that living in a basement wasn’t a good idea. I did the math and wondered if I could afford to rent an apartment upstairs I couldn’t.

Despite the less-than-ideal living environment, for these vulnerable older adults, simply being able to rent a place is already not easy.

So Hai-yun
Older solo renter
We’re old, and so we can’t find a place to rent anywhere else, even if we have the money.

According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of the Interior, there are approximately one million people aged 65 and above living alone, of whom 4.5%, or nearly 200,000, rent housing. Having a need for rental housing but being unable to find suitable accommodation has become a difficult situation for many older adults.

Chang Shu-ching
Federation for the Welfare of Taiwan’s Seniors
Landlords often believe that older people are closer to death. They worry that if something happens to an elderly tenant — for example, if ambulances have to come frequently — they’ll constantly have to help deal with the situation. Many landlords simply want to avoid the hassle.

Lu Ping-yi
Tsuei Ma Ma Foundation
The percentage of landlords willing to allow an older adult to view a property is only 0.45%, so the actual transaction rate may be far lower than that.

Taboos surrounding death, age discrimination, and other factors have made older people living alone unwelcome in Taiwan’s rental market. Although the government has introduced measures such as rental management programs and tax incentives to encourage landlords to lease their properties, the results in practice have remained limited.

Lu Ping-yi
Tsuei Ma Ma Foundation
The social housing rental and management policy is similar to rent subsidy policies. Both rest on the foundation of Taiwan’s existing rental market. So, frankly speaking, such policies require the cooperation of landlords and they can be described as “being at the mercy of landlords.”

Because of landlords’ reluctance and the difficulty of implementing policies, older adults living alone are often forced to compromise when searching for housing.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#AgingTaiwan #Taiwanagism #olderrenters

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Customers wait hours for famous Tianmu popcorn chicken

Taiwanese-style popcorn chicken, known as yansuji, has been a popular snack for decades. One popcorn chicken stand in Taipei’s Tianmu District is so popular that people will wait two to three hours for an order. On weekends the line is even longer. Some people wait as long as six hours just to have a taste. Let’s take a look at what makes their popcorn chicken worth the wait.

There’s nothing more satisfying than getting a huge mouthful of fried chicken. Especially when you have to wait two or three hours to get it.

Popcorn chicken and tempura are deep fried with basil, the perfect late-night snack. The chef’s hands never stop moving, cutting ingredients, sprinkling seasoning, bagging the food, and finally topping it off with some garlic. The smell is irresistible.

Customer
Likes fried chicken
The salt and spice levels can both be customized, but what’s most important is the incredible basil. You can add a lot. We know the owner is very busy, so we would always call and order first, since it might take two to three hours.

What’s the secret that makes people be willing to wait for hours for this popcorn chicken?

Ms. Tsai
Popcorn chicken stand owner
We prepare everything fresh daily ourselves, including the seasoning, which doesn’t absorb much oil like other seasonings. The pepper we use can’t be bought in stores. A Chinese pharmacy prepares it for us especially.

Customer
Likes fried chicken
The first time, I ordered around 4 or 5 p.m. and had to wait until midnight. It’s not too greasy, and it’s crispy like it should be. You can add garlic or make it spicy, and the fried century egg is really special, as well as the rolls with condensed milk.

Ms. Tsai
Popcorn chicken stand owner
Today the wait time is about three hours, two to three hours. On holidays people should order even earlier. It costs us more to add lots of garlic, but the rent is pretty cheap, so we can give a little more to customers.

With fresh ingredients and unique seasoning, this popcorn chicken stand might just be the most popular one in Taipei.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#popcornchicken #yansuji #friedchicken #nightmarket #Taiwanesefriedchicken #latenightsnack #popular #longwait

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Aussie sax player found in cave after fight brought back home

Yesterday, we reported on the case of an Australian man who went missing after an argument with his wife and was found stranded days later playing the saxophone in a cave in the mountains of Taitung. Well, the story has come to a happy ending. The Australian sax player was brought down to safety on Friday, and reunited with his wife. Rescuers say it was not an easy operation, as the terrain was extremely steep and loose. What’s even more shocking is that the man had headed out on this extreme hike, wearing flip flops on his feet. He now says, he will never hike a mountain again.

In front of the cave is a sheer drop. There’s no clear way through on any side.

Sun Yang-chung
Rescuer
It’s all loose dirt, so you can’t get a proper footing. Every time we took a step, the ground would crumble. There were a lot of loose rocks as well. Once you got past that, it was all a sheer slope. Without ropes, you would just slide all the way down, it’d be extremely dangerous.

Sung Li-ting
Rescuer
He was so happy to be coming down. We told him he would see his wife soon, told him that she missed him. He said he’d never go into the mountains again. He was apologetic for making everyone work so hard.

For almost one week, a 50-year-old Australian man named Matthew was trapped in the mountains of Donghe. Most surprisingly, he made it all the way through the treacherous terrain wearing flip-flops that have since worn down and crumbled. He fled into the wilderness with his saxophone after an argument with his wife, aiming to clear his mind. But in the end he got trapped in a cave. Rescuers finally reached him on Thursday and provided him with rain boots. After regaining some strength, they brought him down the mountain on Friday, to cheers from onlookers.

Matthew
Was lost in mountains
I followed the river, maybe I can find a way. I see her. Wow, this is only God’s gift. Yeah. So I kept calling “Hello!” and then 119, the team is so helpful. Thank you, Taiwan.

Matthew prayed for his rescue for days. The terrain was so steep that even rescuers almost ran out of rope to reach him safely. They say Matthew’s will to survive was admirable, because he persevered even when rocks fell down on them. Just one look at the crevice he was stuck in makes it clear why the operation was so delicate. Matthew says he followed a stream down to a waterfall, and then came upon a cliff as he tried to keep going downhill. That’s where he got stuck, unable to go back up. He didn’t bring his phone or any other electronic devices with him, so all he could do was wait to be found.

Shen Wei-hsiang
Fire fighter
There’s a common thing among hikers who get lost. About 9 in 10 hikers try to head downhill to get water in the valley.

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For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Escape room worker dies after hanging act goes wrong

Last Sunday, an escape room actor performing a hanging act was sent to hospital after the trick went wrong and she was left without oxygen for 20 minutes. She had initially appeared to have narrowly escaped death and regained her vital signs later at the hospital. After five days of treatment in a coma, she was unfortunately pronounced dead on Friday morning. The escape room operator, Rostart Games was forced to suspend operations after the incident. Now, a Taipei City Council candidate revealed that he was left with a serious injury as a customer at the same venue, just two weeks before the incident. Speaking to the press with the victim’s surviving family, he called on the Taipei City Government to thoroughly inspect all escape rooms for safety.

Brother
Family member of victim
My sister was not a prop, nor was she a part of the plot. She was also not an employee that can be sacrificed. She was a living and breathing human being.

The victim’s brother chokes back tears when recounting the incident. Last Sunday, his sister had been near-fatally strangulated while performing as a ghost that died by hanging, during an escape room session at Rostart Games’ Xinyi branch in Taipei. At the time, she had regained vital signs after she was sent to the hospital, but being without oxygen for almost 20 minutes, her condition was unstable. Unfortunately, after five days of treatment, she was pronounced dead at 11 a.m. Friday. Her family members are slamming the company for negligence.

Brother
Family member of victim
An employee shouldn’t have to worry about their own safety when giving a high-risk performance such as hanging on a rope. There should be clear guidelines and a change of procedures to prevent any such tragedy from reoccurring.

Cousin
Family member of victim
She’s her mother’s rock, her dearest daughter. How can the company possibly compensate for the loss of a daughter? Human lives should not be written off as operational costs.

A 3D model simulates the indoor conditions at the time. The employee playing a hanged ghost was all alone in the enclosed space. She had a rope around her neck and assumed a squatting position. She’s also not the first to have lost consciousness on this job.

Former employee
Rostart Games
After getting the rope around the neck, a buzzer will go off to alert the performer to squat and collapse. The rope and hands will be behind a mask. At the time, I’d nearly lost consciousness by the time I’d bobbed my upper body for a third time. I only escaped after taking a large inhale. Throughout the session, I was the only one in the room.

A Taipei City Council candidate says the venue isn’t only hazardous to employees, but also to customers. Around two weeks before the incident, Chen Sheng-wen got seriously injured in an escape room session at the same branch. A 9cm-long piece of acrylic punctured through the connective tissue around one kidney.

Chen Sheng-wen
Taipei City Council candidate (DPP)
At the time, I had to rest for many weeks. Rostart Games has operated illegally for 10 years, and was never inspected. Never. It had never been found to be operating unlawfully. Is the Taipei City Government blind or something?

Now that the worst had happened, the employee’s surviving family will also be suing the business owner for causing death by negligence. They also call on the Taipei City Government to thoroughly inspect other escape rooms to prevent another accident.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#escaperoom #occupationalsafety #safetystandards #compliance #labor

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