TAIPEI, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Transport Ministry on Thursday fined EVA Airways Corp 2618.TW T
TAIPEI, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s Transport Ministry on Thursday fined EVA Airways Corp 2618.TW T$1 million ($35,000) after the federal government blamed one in every of its pilots for a uncommon regionally transmitted case of COVID-19 as a result of he didn’t comply with illness prevention guidelines.
Taiwan had till this week not reported home transmission since April 12, due to early and efficient strikes to cease the virus, together with mass masks sporting and strict quarantines for all arrivals.
However the authorities was jolted by Tuesday’s announcement of the home an infection of a girl who’s a pal of a New Zealand pilot confirmed to have been contaminated earlier this week having flown routes to america.
EVA Air has sacked the pilot, who has not been named and is being handled in hospital.
The case has ignited public anger after the federal government mentioned he had not reported all his contacts and the locations he had been, nor worn a face masks within the cockpit when he ought to have.
In an announcement referring to the “uproar” brought on by the case, the Transport Ministry cited its minister Lin Chia-lung as saying the airline had not totally put in place epidemic prevention measures.
For breaching guidelines associated to COVID-19, the ministry will high-quality the airline T$1 million, the utmost statutory high-quality it will probably make, it added.
The ministry would require airways tighten their epidemic prevention measures for air crew whereas additionally issuing its personal new guidelines, it mentioned.
EVA Air, which has already apologised for the incident, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. It has not been doable to achieve the pilot for remark.
EVA Air, like most airways, is working a really decreased schedule as a consequence of border restrictions globally.
($1 = 28.1190 Taiwan {dollars})
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard Modifying by Alexandra Hudson)
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