The Macau government announced today a string of measures to restrict the entry and stay of residents of Hubei province here.
According to a press conference at Government Headquarters attended by several senior officials, including Secretary for Administration and Justice Andre Cheong Weng Chon and Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U, the measures will take effect tomorrow. Visitors from Hubei will have to leave Macau. Otherwise they will be sent to quarantine facilities in Colaone for isolation and observation until the expiry of their visitor permits.
According to the press conference, there are currently 1,113 visitors from Hubei in Macau. Wuhan, the centre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, is the capital city of Hubei. The 1,113 visitors entered Macau between December 1 and today. The measure does not target students and non-resident workers from Hubei in Macau.
The officials also announced that people who stayed in Hubei in the past two weeks will be barred from entering Macau's casinos. According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), Macau has 41 casinos.
Hubei residents wishing to enter Macau from tomorrow will have to submit an official declaration to the local authorities at the city's border checkpoints to confirm that they are not carriers of the novel coronavirus, also known as Wuhan virus. Without such a declaration, residents from Hubei province are barred from entering Macau.
Meanwhile, according to the press conference, the three new confirmed Wuhan virus patients are "low risk" infection cases. The officials said that the Venetian, Sheraton and Galaxy hotels were among the places visited by two of the three women. The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Macau rose this morning from two to five.
In a related development, Macau's cinemas announced today that they will follow the government's recommendation and remain closed for the time being. The Health Bureau has singled out cinemas as potential high-risk venues for the transmission of the Wuhan virus. There are five cinemas with a total of 12 screens in Macau.
The government has also urged Macau's nearly 60,000 casino employees to always wear facemasks while on duty.
Meanwhile, the government urged residents today not to believe in rumours claiming that Macau was suffering from food supply shortages in the wake of the Wuhan virus crisis. In a statement, the government insisted that the supply of foodstuffs was sufficient. In a separate statement, the government said that Macau's 10 tertiary education institutions were considering to extend their Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays. Macau's schools have already extended their holidays until February 10.
The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) today urged teachers and pupils who are spending their CNY holidays on the mainland to return to Macau as soon as possible.
The Health Bureau announced today that due to the Wuhan virus threat all the visiting hours at the public Conde de S. Januario Hospital Centre have been suspended/.
