New Taiwan Covid Case Traced to New Zealand Pilot

[Airbubba]

Some professional pilot news from The Wall Street Journal:

Taiwan Sees Its First Locally Transmitted Case in Eight Months
By Joyu Wang
The Wall Street Journal

December 22, 2020 (https://www.wsj.com/news/author/joyu-wang)

Taiwan, one the world’s biggest successes (https://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwan-stopped-covid-19s-spread-but-cant-talk-about-it-at-who-meeting-11605182401) in containing Covid-19, reported its first case of local transmission in about eight months, traced to a New Zealand pilot.

The island has strict border controls and quarantine measures, with those in quarantine tracked through their phones. While mask-wearing is required on public transit and in places such as shopping malls and movie theaters, life has largely returned to a pre-pandemic normal. People pack restaurants, bars and concerts. Thousands attend outdoor events such as gay-pride parades, and children remain in schools.

Taiwan, with a population of about 24 million, has reported a total of 770 coronavirus infections and seven deaths.

The locally infected patient, a woman in her 30s, had come in contact with a New Zealand pilot in his 60s who later tested positive for the coronavirus, Taiwan health authorities said Tuesday. During contact tracing, the pilot didn't mention contact with the new patient, though it was later uncovered in a police investigation, they said.

Pilots entering Taiwan are required to quarantine for three days and other flight crew for five, compared with two weeks for other travelers. This month, the government tightened border controls, requiring inbound travelers to provide negative test results before boarding a flight. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said Tuesday that the government was looking to further tighten measures and would announce changes Wednesday.

The New Zealand pilot was coughing and not wearing a mask during a Dec. 12 flight to the U.S., according to health authorities. A Taiwanese pilot in her 30s who was on that flight tested positive for the coronavirus after returning to Taiwan last Wednesday.

The local patient saw the New Zealand pilot before Dec. 12, health authorities said.

Mr. Chen said Tuesday that the pilot breached the island’s regulations by failing to provide information for contact tracing, which carries a maximum fine equivalent to more than $10,000.

[Lookleft]

Sounds like this was more a close contact than a casual contact! Reading between the lines I am guessing that the NZ pilot ( I am assuming an expat) didn't want a third party to know about how the second party contracted the virus from him.

[B2N2]

Pilot 60
“Contact” 30....
Yep...we know....:suspect:

[Seat4A]

The Taiwan News seems to have quite a bit of print and details on the matter......"An EVA Air cargo pilot from New Zealand"

Infectious New Zealand pilot traveled around Taiwan Dec. 8 to 11
Taiwan News 2020/12/21 12:51
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4083018

Infectious New Zealand pilot shopped in stores in Taipei, Taoyuan
Taiwan News 2020/12/22 17:04
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4084195

New Zealand pilot fined NT$300,000 for dishonesty about Taiwan travel
Taiwan News, 2020/12/22 18:39
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4084298

[Airbubba]

I've heard of a couple of these cases recently with U.S. airlines where someone had been less than candid about the results of a Covid-19 test or Covid symptoms and was later caught going to work in a possibly contagious status. It's a real mess to sort out and buildings have been shut down and aircraft grounded for disinfection.

The Taiwan News seems to have quite a bit of print and details on the matter......"An EVA Air cargo pilot from New Zealand"

Another Taiwan News article about the situation:

EVA Air mulling firing New Zealand pilot for dishonesty about Taiwan travel

EVA Air will hold disciplinary committee to decide whether to fire Kiwi pilot for dishonesty

By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2020/12/22 19:05

EVA Air mulling firing New Zealand pilot for dishonesty about Taiwan travel


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — EVA Air on Tuesday (Dec. 22) announced that it will hold a disciplinary committee meeting and determine whether to terminate a cargo pilot from New Zealand after he was found to have been dishonest with health department officials during their investigation of his contact and travel history while infected with the Wuhan coronavirus.

On Tuesday afternoon, health minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced Taiwan's first confirmed local case of COVID-19 since April 12. Chen said that the local infection, Case No. 771, is a woman in her 30s who came in close contact with Case No. 765, the New Zealand pilot who had been associated with a cluster infection of pilots.

That same day, EVA Air responded to the news about its pilot by saying that it will cooperate fully with the CECC's epidemic investigation. It stated that company facilities and the aircraft involved have been disinfected.

Amid allegations that the pilot had violated epidemic prevention regulations and avoided and hindered the epidemic inquiry, the company stated that it will convene a fact-finding committee and a disciplinary committee. If he is found to have violated regulations, he will be dismissed from his position at the airline, reported CNA.

EVA Air stated that it abides by the government's epidemic prevention policy and strictly regulates its crew. The airline says that it requires its employees to strengthen mutual supervision and implementation of COVID-19 safety measures.

EVA Air mulling firing New Zealand pilot for dishonesty about Taiwan travel | Taiwan News | 2020/12/22 (https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4084322)

[Seat4A]

Reuters - Taiwan's EVA Air sacks pilot blamed for rare local COVID case

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-taiwan/taiwans-eva-air-sacks-pilot-blamed-for-rare-local-covid-case-idUSKBN28X0SJ?il=0

[epc]

For those not wanting to read the stories in the links, the potential for a disastrous outcome is very real in this case.

Local residents in Taiwan had become complacent due to the successful quarantine thus far. Social activities and not wearing masks were the norm when this Kiwi pilot was making rounds of multiple shopping centers in several cities over 4 days with his local friend. And when he was found to be infected, he delayed timely contact tracing by refusing to cooperate. Local authority had to invoke police power and GPS-traced his cell phone and personal car. Only then did people realize he had a close local friend, who was then found to be infected as well. Between these 2, and other infected EVA air crew members, it will be luck if this does not break out. And luck is in short supply so far in 2020.

[av8sean]

Sounds like another expat getting blamed for something out of his control.

https://onemileatatime.com/eva-air-fires-pilot-coronavirus/

[lee_apromise]

Yeah, BR didn't fire expats during the pandemic unlike other airlines and you consider this as a scapegoat. Seriously, the expat mentality is just mind blowing.

[krismiler]

He didn't follow the rules and didn't cooperate with the authorities after he was found to be infected. As pilots, we are a high risk group both for infection and for spreading the virus. We need to follow the rules as carefully as the medical profession do. Hopefully there aren't many more around like him.

[armchairpilot94116]

https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202012240020

EVA is fined as well. Albeit not a big fine for an airline.

[wonderland]

Did his wife find out about his 30 year old “friend”

[tcasblue]

krismiler

I think you will find that the Kiwis are good people who follow the rules in foreign countries. But some people who come from other countries into places like NZ for a new life(because they are so welcoming) may come from cultures that are less likely to follow the rules wherever they go. That gives NZ a bad name. If you dig around a bit more, you will discover what I am hinting at, at least according to a contact I have. Please don't blame the Kiwis over this.

[cosmiccomet]

As far as I can see in the post you are quoting, there is no mention of New Zealand citizens. But, you are pointing out the behaviors of migrants to New Zealand without any proof.
I found your comment very racist.

[Cloudee]

New Zealanders denounce pilot for spreading coronavirus in Taiwan | Taiwan News | 2020/12/24 (https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4085777)

[The Dominican]

You all missing the point, this is not about Kiwis, idiots come in all nationalities

[MCDU2]

Follow the link. Iranian with a kiwi passport.

[foxcharliep2]

End result :Flight crews to face stricter quarantine rules in Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202012280014

[Airbubba]

Did his wife find out about his 30 year old “friend”

Nothing unusual. In 1994 60 year-old SFO Mayor Willie Brown had a 29 year-old mistress who has 'sought to distance herself from that relationship' in her quest for the White House.

Another recent case of a Kiwi airline pilot allegedly refusing to adhere to the local Covid rules:

Pilot behaviour-Fact or Fiction?? - PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/630807-pilot-behaviour-fact-fiction.html)

[Cypher]

That was a Emirates crew member while visiting Auckland, not a local NZ pilot at the centre of that debacle.

[FMS82]

Interesting that nationality gets dragged into the mix so explicitly here. This particular individual seems to have ignored rules that were put into place to protect the fragile status quo the Taiwanese government has succesfully managed to maintain. To me, that fact makes him a bit of a flaming ****** and he deserves little sympathy for the fact he got fined, fired and had his extramarital "close contact" exposed in the national media.

What the nation of New Zealand has to with this, is beyond me. Sometimes the Taiwanese have an unhealthy obsession with labelling people, quite possibly a byproduct of their own -not so straightforward- identity amongst other nations...

[Seat4A]

In related news....Taiwan News is busy

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4089374

[tcasblue]

Interesting video created by the local news here about it.

已婚副機師檢疫期約砲　長榮證實：違反防疫確定免職 ｜ 蘋果新聞網 ｜ 蘋果日報 (appledaily.com) (https://tw.appledaily.com/life/20201229/C4SK3SXB3BE7XIIGEHCQPBBA5Q/)

[A320 Glider]

krismiler

I think you will find that the Kiwis are good people who follow the rules in foreign countries. But some people who come from other countries into places like NZ for a new life(because they are so welcoming) may come from cultures that are less likely to follow the rules wherever they go. That gives NZ a bad name. If you dig around a bit more, you will discover what I am hinting at, at least according to a contact I have. Please don't blame the Kiwis over this.

You can't paint a whole nation as law abiding...

Also, is this how airlines will react now? Start sacking crew who could have +potentially+ passed on C19? Where is the evidence it originated from the pilot and not another citizen?

[lee_apromise]

Did you read that the dude didn't wear the mask in the cockpit violating company policy and uncooperative behavior with the health authority?

[B777AU]

A whistleblower has stepped forward to uncover that the Taoyuan Pilots Union is working together with the Taiwan Center for Disease Control (CDC) and CAA to push foreign pilots out of Taiwan. New quarantine restrictions forced unfavorably on ex-pat pilots are intended to push the ex-pat pilots at EVA and other Taiwan airlines to resign.

More details will follow in the coming days and weeks.

[Airbubba]

That was a Emirates crew member while visiting Auckland, not a local NZ pilot at the centre of that debacle.

A now former Emirates pilot originally from New Zealand according to the news coverage.

[Anti Skid On]

Firing people is cheaper than redundancy

[A320 Glider]

Did you read that the dude didn't wear the mask in the cockpit violating company policy and uncooperative behavior with the health authority?

I'm sorry but a 99 cent mask does not stop the transmission of COVID19 as pointed out by the WHO (not the band!)

If the guy I'm sat next to in the flight deck has COVID19, I am screwed either way mask or no mask.

[lee_apromise]

Dude, you are missing the point. The point is he didn't follow the company regulations and policy. Whats so hard to understand about it? I get fired if I don't wear mask at the airport or in the cabin.

[FMS82]

Dude, you are missing the point. The point is he didn't follow the company regulations and policy. Whats so hard to understand about it? I get fired if I don't wear mask at the airport or in the cabin.

Fully agree. Rules were clear. He broke them. In Taiwan that means you're fined, fired and tarred & feathered by the media (if you really mess up you may feature in one of those cool CGI reanactments).

I'm not qualified to comment on the efficacy of masks (or any other measure put in place), but I can only compare the horrible statistics in Europe/UK/US vs. how Taiwan has fared so far. And based on that, my conclusion is that Taiwan got it right (Singapore/Korea/Mainland China to a large degree as well) and the enlightended West is doing it wrong.

When the pandemic hit Taiwan, the TW government simply asked us to keep our distance, wash our hands, and wear a flipping mask. And everybody did it - no questions asked. Their tried & tested contact tracing systems, developed from the hard lessons of SARS, did the rest and the country has fared very well. (7 fatalities so far; yes that's no typo)
When the pandemic hit Europe, everybody and their grandma suddenly became experts on PPE, rules were debated ad infinitum, and people did pretty much everything except following what their respective governments asked them to do. It's a travesty - the only fitting response is to jointly agree the West f'd this up, and start learning from countries like Taiwan to ensure we're ready for the next one.