Tsai Ing-wen said people should not panic over the epidemic. — Reuters pic
Taiwan and China have close economic and cultural ties, and the island has reported seven confirmed cases of the virus so far. All of the more than 100 deaths so far have been in China, centred on Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. Some pharmacies in Taiwan have reported shortages of face masks since the island reported its first case a week ago, and the government says it is working to ensure supplies.