Concern grows as Covid-19 cases in Macau rise to 49

The government has asked people to get tested for Covid-19 as soon as possible.

Macau.- The Macau government has detected 18 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, making 49 recent cases in total. That’s the largest outbreak of cases since October last year in a territory that still has a zero Covid-19 policy.

The government asked people to take a Covid-19 test and upload the results to an official database as soon as possible. However, while the outbreak is bad news for business due to the zero-Covid policy, officials say 34 of the 49 positive cases showed no symptoms.

The government has not announced a total stop to activity for now, but fears are growing over possible new restrictions. The Hotel and Casino Fortuna has been added to the list of Red Code lockdown areas after one of the hotel’s workers reportedly tested positive.

According to local media reports, the property had been sealed with about 300 guests and more than 80 staff inside. Aside from working staff, no one is allowed to leave but entry is permitted. There are currently 12 Covid-19 ‘red’ zones in Macau, including the Fortuna.

The government had previously said that anyone wishing to leave Macau must present a certificate within 24 hours of their scheduled departure time, certifying a negative result for Covid-19 infection. Authorities in Zhuhai, in the neighbouring Chinese province of Guangdong, have announced that people travelling to Macau from Zhuhai must present a certificate issued within 48 hours before departure.

Due to the new outbreak, Sanford C. Bernstein predicted that this month’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) could plummet to only 9 per cent of 2019 levels. Compared to May, Macau’s GGR would be down by 31 per cent month-on-month. However, according to analysts, it could fall further if restrictions remain in place and new Covid-19 cases continue to appear.