TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – More than 300 migrant workers at the Askey Computer Corp. in Taoyuan will be isolated in centralized centers amid a growing cluster.
The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said on Saturday (January 22) that the technology company had 386 foreign employees in the Farglory Free Trade Zone (FTZ), the epicenter of the new outbreak. Except for those who tested positive, all foreign workers will be transported to government-run quarantine facilities on Saturday afternoon, per CNA.
At least 70 infections have been reported at the factory, the source of which is believed to be two migrant workers. The incident prompted the company and authorities to take containment measures because many workers live closely together in eight dormitories scattered around the free zone, one of which is believed to house 80 female Filipina workers, per UDN.
A total of 30 factories in the free zone have ceased operations as a precaution, according to Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads a command post at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport. A separate command post will be set up in the area to fight the outbreak, including testing 10,000 people.
Askey, which is headquartered in New Taipei and has units in New Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, was fined NT$300,000 (US$10,827) by the New Taipei City government for failing to to report employee movements to authorities during the investigation, according to UDN.
The company was found to have concealed information about sending 68 workers from New Taipei’s Zhonghe District to support the Taoyuan unit between Jan. 9 and Jan. 16. The Zhonghe factory with 371 workers was ordered to close for testing.