Macau's current COVID-19 outbreak, which began on June 18, has risen by 29 cases to 1,644, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced this morning.
The day-on-day increase was the lowest since June 22.
According to a statement by the centre, the 29 cases were diagnosed between 00.00 and 23:59 yesterday. The statement pointed out that 26 of the cases were detected in locked-down ("red zone") areas and quarantine hotels, while just three were detected in the community.
On Monday, the figure was up by 57. On Tuesday it rose by 32. Observers say the downward trend is an indication that the government's tightened COVID-19 control measures this week are working.
Macau's tally of confirmed and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases accumulated since January 2020 has reached 679 confirmed and 1,256 asymptomatic cases respectively, according to the website of the Health Bureau (SSM) as of 3:40 p.m. today. A total of 163 of the confirmed cases and 357 of the asymptomatic cases have been cured, the bureau said.
Five COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Macau since the start of the pandemic. The five female victims were senior citizens suffering from a range of chronic diseases.
Macau is holding four mandatory citywide NAT rounds this week. Generally speaking, each person in Macau aged 3 or over must be tested for COVID-19 at a NAT station every other day. Anyone in Macau - not just residents but also non-resident workers and visitors - must also self-test once a day. The testing drive, which began on Monday, ends on Sunday evening.
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. Before going for a nucleic acid test, everyone must first self-test at home to prevent the virus from spreading 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.
Hundreds of health workers from the mainland are assisting the local authorities in battling the current outbreak driven by the highly infectious OMICRON BA.5 subvariant.
Meanwhile, most businesses remain closed this week by order of Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng - 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 have been allowed to stay open. Restaurants' dine-in services are banned.
Newspaper and other media companies have also been permitted to stay open this week.
According to the executive order, people in Macau should stay home unless when shopping for daily necessities or for other urgent matters such as going to a NAT station for their mandatory tests. They must wear KN95 facemasks when out and about and at their workplace. It is illegal to pull down one's facemask to smoke in public. It is also illegal to take one's dog on a walk this week. However, owners can take their pets to a veterinary clinic for treatment. Dog owners this week can also take their canines to the government's kennels for temporary stay.
Public buses are running on greatly reduced schedules. Bus passengers must hold special permits. The airport remains 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 have been closed since 00:00 on Monday.
The government has insisted that this week's curbs – the most severe since the pandemic has affected Macau – are not a citywide lockdown but restrictions on people's movements.
Violators of this week's restrictions face up to two years behind bars or a hefty fine, the government has announced. A maskless man who smoked in the street has been fined 10,000 patacas (US$1,233) and been sentenced to five months behind bars. The jail sentence has been suspended for two years.
The government has repeatedly pointed out that the curbs are not recommendations but based on Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng's order that everyone in Macau needs to follow.
Restaurants selling takeaways have reported brisk business since the government banned dine-in services following the detection of the current outbreak's first case.
The owner of a cafe in the city centre told The Macau Post Daily yesterday that his takeaway business had doubled "thanks to the ban on dine-in services." Food delivery companies have also reported a "great increase" in orders due to the current outbreak.
