A mainland spokesman on Monday urged the Democratic Progressive Party authority in Taiwan to take responsibility to deal with COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control after three new cases from Taiwan were found in Shanghai recently.

In less than two weeks, there have been three confirmed cases of COVID-19 from from Taiwan in Shanghai, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

The three cases were reported by the Shanghai medical authority on Aug 19 and 24 and Sunday.

It has aroused great concern on both sides of the Taiwan Straits about the situation of epidemic prevention and control in Taiwan, Ma said.

The problems that concern the health and safety of the residents of the island cannot be ignored, he said.

"How many loopholes are there in the island's epidemic prevention and control and what is the actual number of infections in Taiwan?" he asked.

"The prevention and control of the epidemic is closely related to the health of the public, and any negligence will cost the lives of the masses," he added.

Ma urged the Democratic Progressive Party authority in Taiwan to take responsibility, deal with epidemic prevention and control with a professional attitude, and block the transmission chain of the virus.

"The life and health of the people on the island is not a joke, and (they) should be never become victims of some political whitewashing," he said.