A local crew member of a cargo ship plying the Hong Kong-Macau route tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, because of which all those who live or work in the vicinity of his home, which is located near Praça de Ponte e Horta in the Inner Harbour area, are required to undergo two nucleic acid tests (NATs) in three days from yesterday to tomorrow.
The building where the man lives has meanwhile been listed as a Red Code Zone. The building’s residents are prohibited from leaving their homes and are required to undergo regular nucleic acid tests during the lockdown period, which is provisionally slated to end on Tuesday next week.
The 73-year-old man’s case has been classified as imported from Hong Kong. Yesterday’s viral genome sequencing confirmed that he has been infected with the Omicron BA.2 subvariant, which is currently prevalent in Hong Kong, the Macau Health Bureau (SSM) said yesterday.
The man’s case was first announced in a Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre statement yesterday morning, while further details about the case were announced in another statement at around midday yesterday.
According to the two statements, the man went to work on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, i.e., he boarded the Hong Kong-bound vessel on those days. He tested negative for COVID-19 in daily nucleic acid tests between Thursday last week and Monday this week.
The man went to Pier No. 6A2 in the Inner Harbour on Sunday night to board the ship, which then went to Hong Kong and returned to Macau on Monday afternoon. He went to the pier on Monday night to board the ship again, which then travelled to Hong Kong and returned to Macau on Tuesday afternoon, according to the two statements.
As normal, the man went to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre for his mandatory nucleic acid test on Tuesday evening after returning from Hong Kong. He went to the pier on Tuesday night to board the ship that, however, did not go to Hong Kong due to Tropical Cyclone Mulan. He had stayed and slept on the vessel before the nucleic acid test he had had on Tuesday evening came up with a positive result yesterday morning.
Red & Yellow Code Zones
The two statements said that the COVID-19 transmission risk where the man lives and works could not be ruled out, because of which the Health Bureau decided to list the building where he lives as a Red Code Zone, Mayfair Court on Rua de Francisco António, which is located near Praça de Ponte e Horta. The Health Bureau also ordered the immediate suspension of operations of the man’s workplace, Pier No. 6A2, which will only be allowed to reopen after thorough cleaning and disinfection.
In addition, the two statements said, the Health Bureau decided to list Pier No. 6A and Pier No. 6B, the two piers next to Pier No. 6A2, as Yellow Code Zones. All those who work at the three piers have had their Macau Health Code colour turn yellow – which bars them from entering certain premises and facilities, using public transport, and entering the mainland from Macau. Yellow health code holders are also subject to regular nucleic acid tests.
Moreover, the Health Bureau has also listed two residential buildings next to Mayfair Court as Yellow Code Zones.
Eight people, comprising two who live with the 73-year-old man and six colleagues who work on the same vessel, have meanwhile been classified as COVID-19 close contacts, and have been transferred to a quarantine facility for medical observation. The Health Bureau said yesterday evening that all of them tested negative for COVID-19 in their first nucleic acid tests.
2 tests within 3 days
The ongoing NAT campaign for those who live or work in the vicinity of the man’s home, which started yesterday afternoon, covers an area surrounded by Praça de Ponte e Horta, Rua do Almirante Sérgio, Rua do Dr Lourenço Pereira Marques, Travessa do Sal, Rua de João Lecaros, Rua dos Armazéns, Rua do Barão, Calçada da Feitoria, Rua da Prainha, Calçada de Francisco António, Rua do Seminário, and Rua de Ponte e Horta.
According to a Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre statement yesterday afternoon, all those who live or work in the area are required to undergo their first nucleic acid test before tonight. They are required to undergo their second test tomorrow, which means that they are required to undergo two nucleic acid tests within three days, the statement said, adding that they should undergo each of the two tests at least 24 hours apart.
Govt mulls ‘closed-loop management’ for sailors again
Meanwhile, the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) said in a statement last night that in the wake of the 73-year-old man’s case, the Macau government does not rule out the possibility of reimplementing a “closed-loop management” measure for crew members of cargo ships plying the Hong Kong-Macau route, according to which they would only be allowed to travel between the pier and a government-designated accommodation venue while they are in Macau, i.e., the period after they return to Macau from Hong Kong and before they go aboard again, without returning to their home and entering the community.
The statement noted that Macau currently has around 40 local residents who are crew members of cargo ships plying the Hong Kong-Macau route. The statement noted that they are currently exempt from quarantine as long as they comply with the Health Bureau’s COVID-19 measures, such as that they are not allowed to go ashore when their vessels are in Hong Kong. Neither are they permitted to contact people in Hong Kong.
Moreover, currently they must wear a KN95 facemask when they are in Hong Kong and also are required to undergo a nucleic acid test every day after returning from Hong Kong.
Residents queue for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing at a mobile sampling vehicle near Praça de Ponte e Horta in the Inner Harbour area yesterday afternoon. Photo: MPDG
