Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) All coworkers of six recent domestic COVID-19 cases employed at two Taoyuan factories have tested negative for the disease, Taoyuan health authorities announced Wednesday, the same day the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported four new domestic and 92 imported cases.

Meanwhile, 81 contacts of a COVID-19-positive nurse at Taipei City Hospital's Zhongxing Branch have also tested negative for the disease, with results for another 15 still pending, according to the CECC.

Five of the domestic cases reported in recent days linked to a larger outbreak at Taoyuan International Airport work at a factory in Taoyuan run by electrical connector manufacturer Aces Electronics.

Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said Wednesday that all 325 coworkers of the five cases at the factory had tested negative for COVID-19.

Cheng added that 398 employees at a food processing plant in the city that employed two other previously reported COVID-19 cases linked to the airport cluster had also tested negative.

(Jan. 11: Taoyuan factory closed, semester cut short due to COVID-19 cases)

Three of Wednesday's four new domestic cases are linked to Taoyuan International Airport, bringing the total number of domestic COVID-19 infections connected to the airport to 42.

All three work at a branch of the Union Bank of Taiwan located on Jianxing Road in Taoyuan's Zhongli District.

According to the CECC, a family member of a COVID-19-infected airport employee who later also tested positive for the disease made two recent visits to the branch and conversed with at least one member of staff.

The infected trio's 27 coworkers at the branch are now in quarantine, according to the Taoyuan City government.

(Jan. 13: COVID-19 cases in Taoyuan bank cluster grow to 14)

Of the 42 domestic COVID-19 infections linked to the airport that have been reported so far, 25 have been confirmed as Omicron variant infections.

Based on preliminary genome sequencing results, 24 have been confirmed as part of one cluster, which likely originated with a janitor at the airport who was infected by a returning traveler, according to the CECC.

The remaining case involved a taxi driver tasked with taking passengers to and from quarantine facilities who was found to have been infected by a passenger in late December.

(Jan. 10: Airport-designated taxis barred from picking up other passengers)

The other domestic COVID-19 case reported Wednesday is a man in his 60s who works as a caregiver at a hospital.

His first test result showed he had a very low viral load, and he tested negative soon after, which indicates that he was likely infected a long time ago, possibly when he had contact with a COVID-19 patient last year, the CECC said.

His case poses little threat to the community at large, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) added.

In addition to the domestic cases, Taiwan also reported 92 imported cases on Wednesday. Of the group, 34 were travelers who tested positive during quarantine, Chen said.

The other 58 tested positive upon arrival to Taiwan on Tuesday, when the CECC began implementing a new policy requiring travelers from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, New Zealand, and Australia to wait at the airport for the results of a COVID-19 test they are required to take upon arrival.

Those who test positive are sent to the hospital for treatment and further testing, while those who test negative go to either a quarantine hotel or government facility.

A total of 625 travelers from the five regions and countries arrived in Taiwan on eight flights Tuesday, and the 58 who tested positive amount to a 9.28 percent positive rate, Chen said.

The CECC did not release any information regarding the vaccination status of the imported cases.

To date, Taiwan has confirmed 17,559 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, of which 14,651 are domestic infections. Taiwan has recorded 47 domestic cases in January so far, all but five linked to Taoyuan International Airport.

With no deaths reported Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the country remains at 850. Taiwan last reported a death related to COVID-19 on Dec. 19.

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Jan. 11: Taiwan reports 12 domestic cases linked to airport, Taipei hospital

Jan. 10: New domestic COVID-19 case linked to airport confirmed: CECC

Jan. 9: Taiwan reports 60 new COVID-19 cases, Level 2 alert extended

Jan. 8: Taiwan confirms 2 new domestic COVID cases related to airport

Jan. 7: New COVID-19 case added to Taoyuan airport cluster