25/01/2020
( 中文 & English )
「病毒正在以驚人的速度傳播」，一位武漢醫生在接受BBC採訪時說道。目前已有成千上萬的患者陷入恐慌，紛紛湧入醫院就醫。
新型冠狀病毒從武漢華南海鮮市場開始散播。市場內充斥活禽、野生動物和各種「異國肉」，包括鴕鳥、鱷魚舌和狗肉。通常這類市場皆無適用衛生法規。雖然市場目前已經關閉，卻位於武漢中心，而這座全世界第42大的城市約有1100萬的人口。
目前至少已有26人死亡，887多人受到感染。但官方統計可能不甚可靠，因為早在2003年，中國當局就已有掩蓋致命SARS病毒的前科。而這次仍是由政府機構和國營媒體把持新型冠狀病毒的相關消息。
倫敦MRC全球感染疾病分析中心認為，截至2020年1月12日止，實際受感染病例數應為1723例。
若政府僅關心「門面」和「權力」，卻視人命為草芥，就無法有效應對疫情。
新型冠狀病毒肺炎的疫情起初也遭掩蓋。例如，已有59例確診病例時，媒體與政府卻仍在為武漢宣傳大規模的群眾聚集活動「萬家宴」（ 武漢媒體《楚天都市報》消息，1月18日，百步亭社區舉辦了第二十屆萬家宴活動，有4萬多個家庭參加，「居民們端出合作或單獨製作的13986道菜品，大家邊吃邊聊，暢敘生活暖心事，新變化，共度歡樂農曆小年。」）
現在，隨著病毒跨境擴散，中國的大小活動正一一取消，交通運輸也受到限制。武漢肺炎不再只是中國境內問題。
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對台灣而言，這意味著什麼？
此疾病會人傳人已經確定，而農曆新年也帶來全世界最大規模的人口移動。有超過一百萬台灣人在中國生活或工作，許多人也準備回家過年。
星期三，蔡英文總統發表談話，呼籲中國當局應公開疫情相關資訊。而台灣的機場正在執行「非常嚴格」的防疫措施。
可惜由於北京政府的反對，台灣並非世界衛生組織的成員國之一。蔡總統在2016年當選後，因北京的進一步抗議，台灣甚至被剝奪了觀察員資格。北京甚至拒絕與台灣政府交流。
WHO應接受台灣，而非屈服北京政府。現在台灣也面臨新型冠狀病毒肺炎的威脅，必須有參加對話的權利，這時更不可因政治因素將台灣排除在外。
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"The virus is now spreading at an alarming rate," said a Wuhan doctor, speaking to the BBC. They described thousands of panicking patients flooding the hospitals.
The coronavirus spread from Huanan Seafood Market. Live poultry and 'exotic' meat, including ostrich, alligator tongue and dog meat, were available. Often, such markets have no hygiene regulations. The market has since been shut down, but was situated in central Wuhan—the 42nd largest city in the world, with a population of roughly 11 million people.
At least 26 people have died and 887 more have been infected. However, the statistics may not be reliable. Back in 2003, the deadly SARS virus was covered up by Chinese authorities. This time around, government agencies and state-run media are once again providing the information.
In London, The MRC Centre for Global Infections Disease Analysis places the number at 1723 cases as of January 12th, 2020.
When a government is more concerned with 'saving face' and 'keeping control' than their own people, they are unable to effectively deal with such outbreaks.
Initially, this virus was also covered up. For example, the media promoted a huge community meal in Wuhan when 59 cases of the virus had already been reported.
Now, with international cases being reported, events in China are being cancelled and transport has been restricted. It's no longer a domestic issue.
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What does this mean for Taiwan?
Human-to-human transmission has been confirmed, and we're facing Chinese New Year—the world's largest human migration. Over 1 million Taiwanese live or work in China and many will travel home for the holiday.
On Wednesday, President Tsai Ing-wen urged China to share information about the outbreak. Taiwan's airports are enforcing 'very strict' epidemic prevention measures.
Unfortunately, due to Beijing's objections, Taiwan is not a member of the WHO (World Health Assembly). After President Tsai's election in 2016, Beijing further protested, and now Taiwan isn't even allowed to attend as an observer. Beijing also broke all government-level diaolgue with Taipei.
Rather than bowing to Beijing, the WHO should accept Taiwan. Taiwan is also facing the coronavirus and should be allowed to participate in dialogues. Now is no time for exclusion.
