Macau mass testing ends with no new Covid-19 cases

Authorities carried out mass testing for Covid-19 after four cases were detected in Macau.

Macau.- The government of Macau has reported no new Covid-19 cases after authorities tested the entire population over the last three days.

According to local media reports, 716,251 people were tested, all of them returning negative results.

Although authorities considering testing the entire city back in June when a rise in Covid-19 cases was detected in the neighbouring province of Guangdong, this was Macau’s first mass testing for Covid-19.

Macau’s Health Bureau has said it may carry out a possible second mass testing but that it shouldn’t be necessary.

Authorities had already implemented new controls requiring all visitors to Macau from any mainland Chinese city to hold a negative nucleic acid test certificate for Covid-19.

Andy Wu Keng Kuong, president of the Macau Travel Industry Council, said the city now expects an average hotel occupancy rate of less than 50 per cent for August.

Casinos remain open for now, though Couglan said a return to “normal levels” of business will depend on an increase in the vaccination rate in the city and its neighbouring provinces.