Only 3 of 12 ‘quarantine hotels’ still in operation
Addressing Wednesday evening’s daily press conference about Macau’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, Alvis Lo Iek Long, a clinical director of the public Conde de S. Januário Hospital Centre, announced the discharge of Macau’s 28th COVID-19 patient on Wednesday, an 18-year-old local male student who returned from the United Kingdom, taking the number of those no longer requiring hospitalisation to 16 among Macau’s total of 45 COVID-19 cases.
According to Lo, the 18-year-old student departed from London on March 20 for Macau via Dubai and Bangkok. After arriving in Macau on March 22, he was transferred to the Treasure Hotel in Taipa – which returned to its normal hospitality role last week following the completion of its role as a “quarantine hotel” – for 14 days of quarantine and medical observation. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus on March 24. He was diagnosed with the disease the following day after a CT scan showed pneumonia.
According to Lo, the student met the official criteria for a COVID-19 patient to be discharged after 23-day treatment in the isolation ward. He was transferred to the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane on Wednesday for 14 days of recovery period isolation.
Following Wednesday’s discharge of the student, a total of 29 COVID-19 patients remain hospitalised. Only one of the patients still in hospital is in serious condition.
Macau has so far confirmed 45 COVID-19 cases. The 10 patients (seven tourists from Wuhan and three locals) in Macau’s “first wave” of the COVID-19 infection – which lasted from January 22 to February 4 – have been discharged, while six of the 35 patients in the “second wave” – which began on March 15 – have been discharged since Easter Sunday. All the 35 cases in the current “second wave” have been classified as imported, most of them local students returning from overseas.
Macau has not confirmed a new COVID-19 case for seven consecutive days in the “second wave” after the 45th case was confirmed last Wednesday.
Jai Alai to return to hospitality role
Meanwhile, Inês Chan Lou, who heads the Licensing and Inspection Department of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), announced during Wednesday’s press conference that the 132-room Jai Alai hotel in Zape, one of the government’s “quarantine hotels”, will return to its normal hospitality role, following disinfection and cleaning.
At the peak, there were 12 “quarantine hotels” with about 3,000 guestrooms. Early last week, Metropole Hotel in the city centre became the first of the government’s “quarantine hotels” to return to its normal hospitality role, and since then more and more “quarantine hotels” have returned to their previous roles after all those who completed their 14-day quarantine and medical observation in them had checked out.
Metropole Hotel in the city centre reopened on Wednesday.
Grand Coloane Resort and Grand Lapa Macau said on Wednesday they will reopen on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
The three remaining “quarantine hotels” are Pousada Marina Infante in Cotai, Golden Crown China Hotel opposite the local airport in Taipa, and a section of the Sheraton Grand hotel in Cotai.
Chan said that, as of Wednesday afternoon, 437 people were still undergoing their 14 days of quarantine and medical observation in the government’s now three “quarantine hotels” – comprising 235 Macau residents as well as 202 non-resident workers and visitors.
At the peak late last month, some 2,800 people were undergoing their 14 days of quarantine and medical observation in the government’s then 12 “quarantine hotels”.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO © Public Security Police (PSP)
