Taiwan Photo:Xinhua

Netizens and media outlets in Taiwan who called the island an "exporter" of COVID-19 cases said the "epidemic control myth" of the island that has been boasted by the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has turned to a broken dream, after several countries and regions have reported confirmed cases from the island. 

So far, Thailand, Japan, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam, have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the island, and Hong Kong and Shanghai also reported confirmed cases from the island. A total of seven cases have been exported to these countries and cities since June 20, Taiwan media reported.

Chinese analysts said it showed loopholes in the island's epidemic control despite DPP's boast, and Taiwan will face a worse epidemic situation if DPP continues its political games.

The first case reported from Taiwan involved a Japanese student who returned to Japan from the island on June 20, and later tested positive for the coronavirus. A Thai national who worked in Taoyuan was then diagnosed on July 27 after returning to Thailand.

Graphic:GT

However, Taiwan's health department head Chen Shih-chung stressed that the positive rate among Taiwan travelers detected overseas was quite low--that is, only 0.008 percent, chinatimes.com reported on Thursday.

"It reveals the authorities' arrogance over the results of epidemic prevention. If Taiwan does not come up with specific measures, it may sooner or later become 'an exporter of COVID-19' that will draw criticism," chinatimes.com commented.

Moreover, Taiwan authorities have been refusing to carry out widespread COVID-19 screening among local residents to prevent coronavirus spread, which some media considers a trick to avoid any negative effects on public polls and the popularity of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen.

These cases from Taiwan show that there are still loopholes in the epidemic control strategy of Taiwan, although the authorities have been boasting it is a "excellent student" in epidemic control, Yang Lixian, a research fellow at the Beijing-based Research Center of Cross-Straits Relations, told the Global Times on Friday. 

"If they don't fix loopholes in their operations, there will be greater problems," Yang said.

Yang believes that island and the US flatter each other in COVID-19 measures to fight the Chinese mainland.

"However, facts speak louder than words, and the authorities are slapping themselves on the face," Yang said.

Some Taiwan netizens said the authorities had been making excuses and denying the possibility of a surge in local infections.