TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed that 21 more crew members on board navy vessels have contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Sunday (April 19), both Taiwan's Naval Academy and Fu Hsing Kang College (FHK) announced that they will be halting classes for two weeks.

During the daily press conference Sunday, Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said a total of 24 Navy members who had been on a goodwill mission to Taiwan's Pacific ally Palau have tested positive for the virus. Aside from the 24 confirmed patients, 720 individuals who spent time on the three supply ships — Panshih (磐石), Yueh Fei (岳飛), and Kang Ding (康定) — have also been taken to quarantine centers.

Chen confessed that he and the CECC officials are somewhat concerned, since 18 of the 24 confirmed cases did not display any coronavirus-related symptoms. He said that most of the cases were young men and women in their 20s and had appeared to be relatively healthy before the results of the virus tests came back, reported Liberty Times.

To lower the risks of community clusters in Taiwan, the FHK said it will suspend classes for two weeks and monitor all individuals who have been in close contact with the infected patients. It added that two of Saturday's (April 18) three cases were students attending the school.

During the press conference, Vice Defense Minister Chang Che-ping (張哲平) also announced that the Naval Academy will cease in-person classes for two weeks, starting Monday (April 20). He noted that medical professionals have began sanitizing the campus of both schools, according to CNA.

In regards to the potential cancellation of the upcoming Labor Day weekend, the CECC said it will make its decision based on the country's pandemic situation over the next two weeks. However, it stressed that the government would rather postpone than cancel the holiday if needed.