Taiwan reports first locally transmitted case in more than 250 days
From CNN Beijing bureau
A volunteer speaks through a megaphone to remind people to wear a mask while walking under Christmas decorations in New Taipei City, Taiwan on December 18. Ritchie B Tongo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Taiwan reported its first locally-transmitted Covid-19 case since April on Tuesday, breaking a run of more than 250 days without one, according to figures released by the island s Health Ministry.
The ministry said the case was a woman in her 30s who had contact with another positive case, a foreign pilot, between Dec. 8 and 12.
The island of 23 million people last reported a locally transmitted case on April 12.
California Governor quarantining after staff member tests positive for Covid-19
From CNN s Hollie Silverman
Governor Gavin Newsom listens to a reporter s question during a news conference in Rancho Cordova, California on June 26. Rich Pedroncelli/Pool/AP
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) began a 10-day quarantine Sunday after a member of his staff tested positive for Covid-19, a statement from a spokesperson in the governor s office said.
The staff member who tested positive was in contact with Newsom and other staff members, according to the statement.
Newsom and other staff members tested negative for the virus Sunday, the statement said.
The governor and staff will be tested again over the next few days per state guidelines, according to the statement.
Johnson & Johnson s Covid-19 vaccine trial is now fully enrolled
From CNN Health’s Jen Christensen
Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that its late stage Covid-19 vaccine trial is fully enrolled.
The vaccine, made by J&J subsidiary Janssen, comes in a single dose. The trial now has about 45,000 participants.
The company said with the high rate of disease transmission among the general population in the United States, this number of volunteers should be enough to quickly get the data the company needs to determine if the vaccine works and to determine if it is safe.
J&J expects to have interim data by the end of January.
This 107-year-old woman beat Covid-19
From CNN s Kay Jones and Amanda Jackson
Tillie Dybing. Ecumen
Tillie Dybing is a survivor.
At the age of 107, the Minnesota woman recently beat Covid-19 after being diagnosed this fall, according to officials at the Ecumen Detroit Lakes community home, where she has lived since 2015.
This isn t the first pandemic Dybing has lived through. Born in 1913, she was almost 5 years old when the 1918 flu pandemic hit her family farm in North Dakota, she told CNN affiliate KARE. My folks got sick and they were in bed, and I d run into the bed and my Dad said, Can t you find another place to run, she said.
South Korea reports most deaths in a single day since pandemic began
From CNN’s Jake Kwon in Seoul
South Korea reported 22 deaths related to Covid-19 on Wednesday, the highest single-day total of the pandemic, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
For the second consecutive day, the country also reported more than 1,000 new Covid-19 infections, with 1,014 cases, the KDCA said in a news release.
Of those, 993 were local cases and 21 were imported.
The vast majority of the new infections 784 were in the Seoul metropolitan area.
The latest tally brings total cases in the country to 46,453 and 634 deaths.