The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected global mental health, with news media playing a central role in shaping public emotions. This study examines how anxiety and fear were represented in online news articles from Indonesia and Taiwan, focusing on their potential impact on public health perception during the pandemic. By comparing these two countries, the research aims to identify patterns of emotional tone in media coverage. A sentiment analysis was conducted using LIWC and Seance on a dataset of online news articles published in Indonesia and Taiwan. LIWC was utilized to quantify anxiety-related content, while Seance analyzed fear-related expressions. These tools provided a comprehensive assessment of the emotional tone across both regions. Indonesian news exhibited higher levels of anxiety-related language, especially during periods of escalating COVID-19 cases. In contrast, Taiwanese news maintained a more balanced tone, although fear-related language increased during key pandemic events such as new variants and vaccination rollouts. Both anxiety and fear peaked during times of heightened public health concern. The findings suggest significant emotional differences in media coverage between Indonesia and Taiwan, reflecting distinct public health responses and media strategies. Understanding these emotional patterns can inform more effective health communication during crises.