In response to Macau's COVID-19 outbreak, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement this morning that all people in Macau are required to take one rapid antigen test for COVID-19 (self-test) today and another tomorrow.
The statement also urged the public to stop all unnecessary activities.
Earlier this week, the government handed out 5 rapid antigen test kits to residents free of charge.
According to the statement, all people in Macau - not just local citizens but everyone who is currently in Macau including non-resident workers and visitors - are required to self-administer a rapid antigen test today and tomorrow respectively. Except individuals of designated key (high-risk) places who have to undergo their nucleic acid test (NAT) at testing stations, all other people should stay home and stop all unnecessary activities so as to reduce the risk of cross-infection.
Upon completion of their self-test, formally known as rapid antigen test (RAT ), people should upload their result via the link displayed at the bottom of the Macau Health Code app.
For detailed information on the procedures of the rapid antigen test, declaration of test result and notes on usage, the statemen urged the public to refer to the following link:
https://www.ssm.gov.mo/apps1/covidagtest/ch.aspx#clg21987.
NATs today for those from key groups & high-risk areas
Meanwhile, the centre has announced that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Macau since last Saturday, a further nucleic acid test targeting key areas in the city is being conducted from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. today, aiming to detect novel coronavirus carriers in the local community.
The key (high-risk) areas comprise people who worked or stayed at the following places for more than half an hour after last Saturday, namely Luís de Camões Park, Lou Lim Ioc Park, shops at Rua da Emenda, shops from Rua Um do Bairro Iao Hon to Rua Oito do Bairro Iao Hon, Fu Tai Industrial Building on Avenida de Venceslau de Morais and San Kin Yip Commercial Centre on Avenida da Amizade. They are required to make an appointment to undergo a nucleic acid test (NAT) at the gymnasium of Luso-Chinese Technical and Vocational Middle School, Healthy Life Education Centre, Macau Forum, Kiang Wu Hospital Auditorium or Nam Yue Qingmao checkpoint between noon and 9 p.m. today.
Appointments need to be made through
https://eservice.ssm.gov.mo/allpeoplernatestbook.
They are required to take a self-test before leaving home and report the test result through their Macau Health Code. If the rapid antigen test result is negative, they can go to the testing station to undergo the nucleic acid test. If the rapid antigen test result is positive, they must be arranged to take the nucleic acid test at the quarantine station of the city's Community Treatment Centre. In addition, if one has a positive self-test result, he or she as well as the people living with him or her are not allowed to leave home, after which a nucleic acid test will be arranged for all of them by the authorities.
Meanwhile, the second mandatory NAT testing drive for all people in Macau ended at midnight yesterday. A total of 667,144 samples were collected, of which 72 "10-in-1" samples tested positive.
As of this morning, Macau had 15 lockdown (red) zones and 15 precaution (yellow) zones, mostly consisting of residential buildings as well as Hotel Fortuna.
As of 2:45 p.m. today, Macau's tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 125, while there were 332 asymptomatic cases, according to the Health Bureau (SSM).
