The third day of Macao’s week-long partial lockdown drew to a close with news of a hefty sentence for a local man caught smoking outside, and the city’s fourth Covid-19-related death.
The first culprit to be hauled before the courts for flouting regulations that were brought in to help combat the Omicron variant outbreak was sentenced to five months in prison, suspended for two years, and fined MOP 10,000.
Unitary Police Service public relations officer Cheong Kin Ian said that 588 people had been warned today, and a total of six arrested and charged.
Macao’s latest Covid-19-related fatality was a 94-year-old woman with cardiac problems who was a close contact of a confirmed case. Health officials said that out of the four people who have died so far, only two had been vaccinated.
According to the latest figures, Macao is now dealing with 1,615 confirmed Covid-19 cases, although 43 were discharged from hospital today.
Health workers are following up on 20,000 cases, while four positive pooled samples were discovered in the course of today’s mass-testing. The Casa Real Hotel has been classified as a Red Code Zone after three staff, some of whom live in a dormitory, tested positive. Three staff also tested positive at The Venetian Macao, so staff there will have to get nucleic acid tests every day.
Summing up the day, and responding to the Hong Kong Health Secretary’s assertion that there was no need to copy mainland China’s anti-virus policies, Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau, said: “As to whether we have freedom to choose our own policies to face the virus, each place can decide what is more successful. In Macao we also have the freedom to choose our plan and campaign to confront the virus.
“We have registered good results so far. The risk is getting smaller but we still do not know either the cause or the source of the virus. Confirmed cases are still being found in the community, which means there is a silent transmission chain that we have not yet found.
“I cannot say that the situation is good. It’s getting better, but the population needs to continue to follow all the measures that the government is asking of them in order to fight the virus. And we have to pay attention as it can spread very fast, otherwise confirmed cases can double up within a short time.
“If we don’t take the measures requested by us the numbers could go up and, if this happens, it will be difficult for us to control the propagation of the virus.
“Regarding domestic helpers who stay in, it’s important that they should negotiate with their employers to get time to rest and reduce their activities at home.”
For the ninth round of mass-testing, two more mobile buses will be arranged, one at Macau Anglican College and one at Escola Secundária Pui Va Secção Primária e Infantil (14 July 9 am-10 pm; 15 July 9 am-6 pm)
