The Macau government announced yesterday afternoon that all people living or working near the Barrier Gate Plaza must get tested for COVID-19 before noon today, after a woman living in Zhongshan city who was confirmed as an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient yesterday morning had visited a number of shops in the neighbourhood from last week.
The Macau Health Bureau (SSM) said yesterday that it expected the mandatory COVID-19 testing drive to cover around 8,000 people, 7,000 of whom are living in the affected area near the Barrier Gate checkpoint, while the remainder are working there.
In addition to those living or working in the neighbourhood, those who have visited the affected area since Friday are also required to undergo the one-off nucleic acid test (NAT).
The affected people can choose to book a free test on https://eservice.ssm.gov.mo/allpeoplernatestbook or a paid test on https://eservice.ssm.gov.mo/rnatestbook/V21. However, the negative result of the free test will not be displayed on the Macau Health Code, meaning that it cannot be used for crossing the checkpoints.
The Zhongshan health authorities confirmed a new asymptomatic COVID-19 case yesterday morning, a 45-year-old woman who lives in Tanzhou (坦洲) town in Zhongshan city.
While Tanzhou town is in Zhongshan city, it neighbours Zhuhai and only lies some 10 kilometres northwest of Macau. Tanzhou is much closer to central Zhuhai than central Zhongshan city.
Macau’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced the mandatory NAT drive for the Barrier Gate Plaza neighbourhood said in a statement yesterday afternoon that the Tanzhou woman travelled between Macau and Zhuhai via the Barrier Gate checkpoint many times from Tuesday last week and Sunday. During her stay in Macau, the statement said, the woman primarily visited shops and other facilities near the Barrier Gate Plaza. The woman tested negative for COVID-19 in six nucleic acid tests, on February 15, 17, 19, Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week, the statement said.
Currently, the negative COVID-19 NAT result for those entering Macau from Zhuhai is valid for 48 hours, while the negative result for those entering Zhuhai from Macau is valid for seven days.
The statement said that with the aim of assessing the risk of the possible occurrence of COVID-19 community transmissions in Macau, the Macau government had decided to launch the mandatory COVID-19 testing drive for those living or working in a “key area” which the Tanzhou woman had “frequently” visited, near the Barrier Gate Plaza.
The testing drive started at 5 p.m. yesterday, and those living or working in the affected area must undergo the one-off test before 12 p.m. today.
Free tests under the drive are carried out on the first floor of the Workers Stadium next to the Barrier Gate checkpoint, while paid tests, as usual, are available at the city’s seven regular NAT stations. One of the seven regular NAT stations is located on the ground floor of the Workers Stadium.
The statement said that those failing to undergo their one-off test before the deadline will have their Macau Health Code colour turn yellow after 11:59 p.m. today. Those whose health code colour has become yellow due to this reason will only have it return to green after having their one-off test and it comes up with a negative result.
The statement also said that those who had undergone their regular nucleic acid test in Macau yesterday or those who plan to undergo their regular test in Guangdong today will not need to take part in the Macau government’s “key-area” testing programme.
Those living or working in the affected area received an SMS yesterday telling them to undergo the required test before 12 p.m. today.
13 buildings
According to the statement, the “key area” covers 13 residential buildings, namely Kong Nam Building (江南大廈) (Block 1, 2 and 3), Arco Íris Building (彩虹苑) (Block 1 and 2), San Nam Building (新南大廈), Ling Nan Building (嶺南大廈), Wa On Building (華安樓), Wa Hong Building (華康樓), Wa Keong Building (華強樓), Wa Fu Building (華富樓), and Mar do Sul Garden (海南花園) (Block 1 and 2).
During a special press conference yesterday afternoon by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre, Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau (SSM), said that in addition to those living or working in the “key area”, those who had visited the area between Friday and Sunday, particularly those who had visited shops in the area such as delivery people, should also undergo the one-off test.
Leong also said that if those who had been near the “key area” are worried about their possible COVID-19 infection, they are also “welcome” to book a nucleic acid test.
According to Leong, home address registration records of the Macau Health Code system indicate that around 7,000 people are living in the 13 residential buildings. After including those working in the affected area, Leong said, the government estimates that the mandatory COVID-19 testing drive covers around 8,000 people.
‘Simple’ travel history
Leong also reassured residents that the Tanzhou woman’s travel history during her stay in Macau was “simple” as she primarily visited certain shops near the Barrier Gate Plaza, adding that every time she visited a shop in the area she normally stayed for a “very short” time.
The Zhongshan health authorities said yesterday that the 45-year-old woman who was commuting between Macau and Zhuhai underwent a regular nucleic acid test every two days, underlining that she tested negative for COVID-19 in six tests over the past two weeks. The woman tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, before the Zhongshan health authorities confirmed it as a COVID-19 positive case yesterday morning.
Class suspension
Meanwhile, the Macau government has decided to implement class suspension for all cross-border students and teachers enrolled in local schools or higher education institutions who live in Tanzhou, which takes effect today, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) announced yesterday. The affected students will switch to online teaching at home from today, the bureau said, adding that around 300 students and teachers in local schools live in Tanzhou.
People queue for mandatory COVID-19 testing at the Workers Stadium next to the Barrier Gate checkpoint yesterday evening. Photo: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
