TAIPEI - As the authorities try to shape plans for future evacuations of Taiwanese stranded in coronavirus-hit Wuhan, an unlikely star emerged amid the tumult of the island government's disease prevention work.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung has been praised by citizens for his hands-on approach in supervising the quarantine procedures and the efforts to speed up the evacuation, as well as the daily press conference he held to brief citizens on coronavirus updates.