Macau's current COVID-19 outbreak, which began on June 18, has risen by 93 cases to 1,467, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced this morning.
According to a statement by the centre, the 93 cases were diagnosed between 00.00 and 23:59 yesterday. The statement pointed out that 59 of the cases were detected in locked-down ("red zone") areas, 12 are close contacts of previously confirmed cases, 16 were detected in the ongoing mandatory nucleic acid testing (NATs) drive and among high-risk key groups, while six were detected among other groups in the community.
Yesterday was the first after three consecutive days that the number of newly detected cases rose again. On Friday, the figure was up by 71.
Macau's tally of confirmed and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases accumulated since January 2020 has reached 590 confirmed and 1,102 asymptomatic cases respectively, according to the website of the Health Bureau (SSM) as of 2:00 p.m. today. A total of 102 of the confirmed cases and 252 of the asymptomatic cases have been cured, the bureau said.
Two COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Macau since the start of the pandemic. The female victims, aged 100 and 94 respectively, died last Sunday. Both had lived in the same nursing home.
Macau will hold four mandatory citywide NAT rounds from tomorrow. The testing drive will end next Sunday. Generally speaking, each person in Macau aged 3 or over must undergo the tests every other day this week. People must also self-test once a day.
The government has been distributing free rapid antigen test (RAT) kits (self-tests) among the population, the results of which are to be uploaded to an app of the Health Bureau (SSM) for verification. It has also been handing out free KN95 masks at testing stations.
Macau reported its first novel coronavirus case on January 22, 2020.
The Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) has been closely coordinating its anti-COVID-19 measures with the National Health Commission (NHC) in Beijing. Macau follows the mainland's dynamic zero-COVID policy that is focused on preventing fatalities and serious cases.
A team of 650 health workers from the mainland is assisting the local authorities in battling the current outbreak. The government has announced that more health workers from the mainland are slated to arrive this week.
Meanwhile, most businesses will be closed by order of Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng for a week from tomorrow - including Macau's about three dozen casinos. However, wet markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants selling takeaways, hotels (many of which have become de-facto dormitories for migrant workers during the current outbreak), healthcare facilities and other essential businesses will be allowed to stay open.
Newspaper companies are also permitted to remain open.
According to the executive order, people in Macau are to stay home unless when shopping for daily necessities and other urgent matters such as going to NAT stations for their mandatory tests. They must wear KN95 facemasks when out and about.
Public buses will run on reduced schedules. The airport will remain open.
All entertainment and recreation venues have been closed by government order since shortly after the current outbreak's first case had been detected on June 18. However, casinos had been allowed to stay open. All casinos will be closed by midnight today.
The government has insisted that this week's curbs – the most severe since the pandemic has affected Macau – are not a lockdown.
Violators of this week's restrictions face up to two years behind bars, Secretary for Administration and Justice Andre Cheong Weng Chon said yesterday. He also was adamant that the curbs are not recommendations but an executive order that everyone in Macau needs to follow.
