Taiwan Confirms First Local Covid Cases of Delta Variant

Taiwan has discovered the first known cases of local transmission of the Covid-19 Delta variant in a cluster in the south of the country, according to the nation's disease control center.

Six people have been confirmed with the Delta variant, including two who had traveled back from Peru, according to a statement Saturday from the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. Twelve people in total have tested positive so far in the cluster, according to the CDC.

The local area, Pingtung County, has enhanced contact tracing and testing, and ordered some local markets and restaurants to close for three days, the CDC said. Taiwan recently decided to tighten rules from June 27 for arrivals from seven countries including the U.K. and India to prevent the spread of the Delta variant.

Taiwan added 78 local cases of Covid-19 and recorded 13 deaths on Saturday, the CDC said.