The Macau government announced today a blanket ban on all foreign visitors from 0:00 tomorrow.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng's executive order on the ban was published in today's Official Gazette (BO).
According to the order, only compatriots from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as non-resident workers (informally known as "blue-card holders") employed in Macau will be allowed to enter Macau.
Based on the One China policy, mainland Chinese, Hongkongers and Taiwanese are considered fellow nationals in Macau.
The order states that the measure aims to protect Macau people's health, pointing out that the novel coronavirus continues spreading "all over the world."
The order is based on Article 25 of the Law on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases
The order also states that in the public interest, namely for the prevention, control and treatment of diseases as well as concerning aid and emergency measures, Macau's health authorities can in exeptional cases lift the entry ban on foreign nationals.
The measure was announced after the Health Bureau (SSM) confirmed Macau's 12th novel coronavirus case. On Monday the government had already imposed a 14-day quarantine requirement on all arrivals from foreign countries including local residents.
Spaniard confirmed as 12th COVID-19 patient
According to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS), Macau's 12th novel coronavirus patient is a 47-year-old Spaniard with business interests in Macau.
The Spanish national arrived yesterday at 8 p.m. aboard Air Macau flight NX001 from Beijing. Upon arrival at the local airport, Health Bureau officials detected that he was having a fever but no other COVID-19 symptoms. He was immediately transferred to the public Conde de S. Januario Hospital Centre and this morning tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the GCS statement.
Before arriving in Macau, the patient had taken Aeroflot flight SU2501 from Madrid to Moscow on Sunday. In the Russian capital he boarded Aeroflot flight SU204 to Bejing.
The statement underlined that the Air Macau Beijing-to-Macau flight had only seven passengers. According to the statement, the Health Bureau is tracing all those who had been on that flight.
The Spaniard is undergoing treatment at the public hospital's isolation ward.
The government had announced Macau's 11th case on Sunday, a South Korean flight attendant working for Air Macau who was diagnosed with the highly infectious disease earlier that day after arriving in Macau from a holiday in Portugal with her fiance via Dubai and Hong Kong on Saturday.
The 10 previous COVID-19 patients - seven tourists from Wuhan, the initial epicentre of the outbreak, and three locals - have meanwhile all been discharged.
Observers have noted that well over 90 percent of pedestrians in Macau are wearing facemasks, which are mandatory to enter public administration premises and taking public transport.
