The Macau government's Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre said in a statement today that with effect from midday on Tuesday arrivals who have been in Japan, Germany, France or Spain within 14 days prior to their entry into Macau - including stopovers - will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at a place designated by the Health Bureau (SSM), notwithstanding other COVID-19 prevention measures that they could be subject to.
While Macau residents may self-quarantine at home, non-Macau residents will be transferred to a designated hotel at their own expense.
Late last month, identical measures were imposed by the Health Bureau on travellers from South Korea, Italy or Iran.
Moreover, the centre also said that already with effect from noon today all those who have travelled to Japan, Germany, France or Spain within the past 14 days prior to their entry into Macau must submit to a medical examination upon arrival here. The examination takes six to eight hours. The government has set up two medical examination posts, one at the Macau Forum on the peninsula and the other at the Pac On terry terminal in Taipa. Arrivals are taken on designated buses from the respective border checkpoints to their medical examinations.
The statement reaffirmed that anyone contravening the quarantine rules faces criminal prosecution.
According to www.worldometers.info.com, at 3 p.m. today (Macau time) South Korea had 7,134 confirmed cases with 50 deaths, Italy had 5,883 cases with 233 deaths, France had 949 cases with 16 deaths, Germany had 800 cases but no deaths, Spain had 525 with 10 deaths, and Japan had 461 cases with six deaths (excluding the 696 cases and six deaths from the Diamond Princess off Yokohama) last month.
The last of Macau's 10 confirmed novel coronavirus patients - seven tourists from Wuhan and three locals - was discharged from hospital on Friday. Macau's last two cases were confirmed on February 4.
