Macau: second case of pneumonia virus confirmed and CNY parade cancelled

The second patient is a 66-year-old from Wuhan in China’s Hubei province who entered Macau on Wednesday afternoon

Macau.- Macau’s Health Bureau confirmed on Thursday morning the second case of viral pneumonia to hit the city. To prevent additional outbreaks, the government has cancelled this year’s Chinese New Year (CNY) parade.

The second confirmed case is a 66-year-old man from Wuhan in China’s Hubei province who entered Macau on Wednesday afternoon. While passing through the controls that have been put in place at the Macau crossing, agents discovered he had a fever and medical staff at Macao’s Conde S. Januário Hospital subsequently diagnosed him with Wuhan pneumonia.

Authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about the spread of the virus with the latest confirmed case coming less than 24 hours after the first Macau victim was announced. Yesterday, a 52-year-old businesswoman from Wuhan who had spent two days at the New Orient Landmark casino hotel displayed symptoms of the virus and was hospitalised. 

Director of the Health Bureau’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Lam Chong, said in a press briefing that they have also isolated ten people that had close contact with the patient.

As a result of the second confirmed case, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has taken the decision to cancel the city’s Chinese New Year celebratory activities including the “Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Rat” scheduled on January 27 and February 1 – the Chinese-language radio service of the city’s public broadcaster TDM reported on Thursday morning.