Two women who travelled to Macau from Taiwan earlier this week have tested positive for COVID-19, Macau’s Novel Response and Coordination Centre announced yesterday.
Both are compatriots from the Taiwan region.
According to a statement by the centre, the first asymptomatic patient is a 56-year-old who had previously received three Sinovac inactivated jabs. She tested negative for COVID-19 in a nucleic acid test (NAT) in Taiwan on Friday last week, before flying to Macau on Sunday.
The woman underwent a COVID-19 nucleic acid test upon arrival at the local airport, but it came up with an uncertain result, after which she was transferred to the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for quarantine. However, she tested positive for the novel coronavirus in a follow-up test on Monday, because of which she is now continuing her stay at the Public Health Clinical Centre for isolation.
The second asymptomatic patient is a 33-year-old who received her first and second Sinovac inactivated jab in August and September respectively, before receiving a Moderna mRNA dose as her booster jab last month. She tested negative for COVID-19 in a nucleic acid test in Taiwan on Monday.
The woman flew to Macau on Tuesday, when she tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival at the local airport, because of which she was then transferred to the Public Health Clinical Centre for isolation.
Meanwhile, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre has announced another asymptomatic COVID-19 case, a 66-year-old local woman who returned to Macau from the United Kingdom via Singapore on Wednesday last week.
According to a statement by the centre on Tuesday, the woman had previously received two mRNA jabs. She flew from the UK to Singapore on Tuesday last week and caught a connecting flight to Macau the next day.
The woman tested negative for the novel coronavirus upon arrival at the local airport, because of which she was then transferred to a quarantine hotel for medical observation.
The woman continued to show negative results for COVID-19 in three follow-up tests, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week. However, she tested positive in a follow-up test on Monday, because of which she was then transferred from the quarantine hotel to the Public Health Clinical Centre for isolation.
The three cases have raised Macau’s asymptomatic COVID-19 tally to 104.
Macau’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases remains at 82.
Since December last year, the Macau government has separately classified and announced asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and confirmed COVID-19 cases.
3 “re-positive” cases from returnees from HK
Meanwhile, yesterday’s statement by the centre also announced two COVID-19 “re-positive” cases imported from Hong Kong.
A COVID-19 “re-positive” case means that a person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus again in a nucleic acid test (NAT) after having previously been infected with COVID-19 and recovered.
The first “re-positive” patient is a 56-year-old local woman who received her first and second mRNA jab in July and August respectively, while the second “re-positive” patient is a 60-year-old local man who received two mRNA jabs in August. However, according to yesterday’s statement, both hold a certificate issued by Hong Kong’s health authorities confirming that their respective conditions make them unsuitable to receive a third dose as a booster jab.
Both returned to Macau from Hong Kong on Tuesday, when they tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival here, because of which they were then transferred to the Public Health Clinical Centre for isolation.
Yesterday’s statement said that both were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease in February, because of which their cases have been classified as “re-positive” cases.
COVID-19 “re-positive” cases are not classified as confirmed COVID-19 cases for Macau, and neither are they classified as asymptomatic COVID-19 cases for Macau.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s statement by the centre also announced one COVID-19 “re-positive” case imported from Hong Kong.
The “re-positive” patient is a 11-year-old local girl who received a Sinovac inactivated jab in February. She returned to Macau from Hong Kong on Sunday, when she tested negative for the novel coronavirus upon arrival here, because of which she was then transferred to a quarantine hotel for medical observation. However, she tested positive in a follow-up test on Monday, because of which she was then transferred to the Public Health Clinical Centre for isolation.
Tuesday’s statement said that the girl was diagnosed with COVID-19 on February 28, because of which her case has been classified as a “re-positive” case.
Details about NAT fees for hotel quarantine
Meanwhile, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre yesterday announced additional details about a new measure according to which from Sunday all those departing for Macau who are required to undergo hotel quarantine upon arrival here will have to pay for all COVID-19 nucleic acid tests (NATs) that they are required to undergo during their hotel quarantine period.
According to a statement by the centre yesterday, those who have booked a quarantine hotel guestroom before travelling to Macau will have to book their required nucleic acid tests by visiting a website laid out in their guestroom reservation confirmation letter provided by the respective quarantine hotels.
Since November last year, all those departing for Macau who are required to undergo hotel quarantine upon arrival here must make a prior booking for a guestroom before travelling to Macau.
Yesterday’s statement said that the respective quarantine hotels have sent an updated version of a guestroom reservation confirmation letter by email to those who had previously booked a guestroom so that they can book their nucleic acid tests by visiting the website. The travellers will have to make the payment for their nucleic acid tests when booking them on the website, the statement said.
The respective travellers will have to present confirmation of their booked nucleic acid tests when boarding a flight, vehicle or ferry to Macau, the statement said.
Currently, while all those undergoing COVID-19 medical observation at a quarantine hotel have to pay for their stay, they are not charged for any of the nucleic acid tests that they are required to undergo during their quarantine period.
Only Macau residents meeting certain criteria can apply for an exemption from paying for their first-time stay for COVID-19 medical observation at a quarantine hotel.
Currently, those arriving in Macau from Hong Kong, Taiwan or foreign countries must undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine, while those arriving from areas affected by COVID-19 in the mainland are required to undergo hotel quarantine for a period of between 7 and 14 days.
According to the new measure that will take effect on Sunday, those arriving from Hong Kong, Taiwan or foreign countries will have to pay a NAT fee of 2,000 patacas as they are required to undergo eight nucleic acid tests during their hotel quarantine period, while those arriving from areas affected by COVID-19 in the mainland will have to pay a NAT fee of 1,250 patacas as they are required to undergo five tests during their quarantine period. The government has said that each nucleic acid test for those undergoing hotel quarantine costs 250 patacas.
Local residents studying outside Macau will enjoy a 50-percent discount on the NAT charges for their hotel quarantine period after their return to Macau.
The 50-percent discount on the NAT charges will only cover full-time students who have returned to Macau from the country or region where they are studying, i.e., the place of their study.
Yesterday’s statement also said that eligible students can apply for the 50-percent discount on the hotel quarantine NAT booking website. The Macau Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) will assess and verify their eligibility for the discount and inform them of the result by email, the statement added.
This sample screenshot provided by the government yesterday shows confirmation of booked COVID-19 nucleic acid tests (NATs) for hotel quarantine. Photo: GCS
