Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the Christmas tour planned by the Moscow Classical Ballet in Taiwan was cancelled after eight of its 53 members tested positive for Covid-19.
The Moscow Classical Ballet had planned six "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker" shows in Taipei, and five other performances in the southern city of Kaohsiung.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), said all the members of the group submitted negative tests results before their flight, and each member was sent directly to a separate room at an epidemic hotel upon arrival in Taiwan on December 29. Then, they all made new tests after the end of the two-week confinement period on Monday.
Four of the tested members had positive results, and they were hospitalized despite not showing any coronavirus symptoms. Although the infection transmission risk was low, the CECC and the UDN FunLife company, sponsor of the tour, decided to cancel the first show scheduled on December 16.
Following a new batch of tests on Thursday, four new members tested positive and were hospitalized, and the remaining 44 members have been quarantined at the hotel for 14 days, Chen said.
The other scheduled performances had to be cancelled "to ensure safety and peace of mind," he explained.
