The Macau government began on Saturday to announce again the daily number of new COVID-19 infections in the city, with the aim of urging residents to stay vigilant against the novel coronavirus, as COVID-19 infections have been on the rise over recent days.
Official figures show that several hundred COVID-19 infections have been reported daily in Macau in recent days.
The official number of daily infections include those reporting their COVID-19 self-test positive results on the Health Bureau’s (SSM) online platform, as well as those testing positive for COVID-19 in a nucleic acid test (NAT).
Before Saturday, the local government had only announced the daily number of new COVID-19 patients admitted to treatment facilities.
A statement by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre on Saturday noted that Macau’s daily number of new COVID-19 infections has been on the rise over recent days. With the aim of urging residents to intensify their vigilance against COVID-19, the statement said, the Health Bureau adjusted its mechanism on Wednesday last week for monitoring the city’s new COVID-19 infections.
With the aim of fully reflecting new infections in the community, the statement said, the local government has decided to announce the daily number of new COVID-19 infections, a new measure that started on Saturday.
Saturday’s statement by the centre announced that 551 COVID-19 infections were recorded on Friday, and one of the patients was admitted to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre.
Saturday’s statement also announced that 702 COVID-19 infections were reported on Wednesday, while 658 infections were recorded on Thursday.
According to previous announcements by the centre, 10 new COVID-19 patients were hospitalised on Wednesday, one at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, seven at the private Kiang Wu Hospital, and two at the University Hospital run by the private Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Taipa.
Eight new COVID-19 patients were hospitalised on Thursday – one at the public hospital and seven at Kiang Wu.
A statement by the centre yesterday said that only 270 COVID-19 infections were recorded on Saturday, none of whom were admitted to treatment facilities.
Saturday’s statement underlined that the daily number of new COVID-19 infections over recent days indicated that Macau was still being affected by a peak of COVID-19 infections.
However, the statement said, the current peak of COVID-19 infections does not cause a significant impact on the city’s medical system and normal operation because of Omicron’s weaker pathogenicity.
A total of 99 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to treatment facilities between May 1 and May 20, according to SSM data.
According to the Health Bureau’s anti-epidemic website, which was updated yesterday, Macau’s official cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 3,619, of which 3,472 had meanwhile been cured.
Macau has not recorded any COVID-19 fatalities for 107 days in a row, from February 3 to May 20. Consequently, Macau’s official COVID-19 death toll has remained unchanged at 121.
Macau confirmed its first COVID-19 case on January 22, 2020.
Pedestrians walk in Largo do Senado, the city’s main square, yesterday. – Photo: Tony Wong
