Shuttle bus drivers high risk for Coronavirus

Government testing more than 100 shuttle bus drivers in Macau regardless of whether they are showing Coronavirus symptoms or not.

Macau.- Drivers of the shuttle buses that regularly take tourists from the city’s borders to local integrated resorts are considered high risk for contracting Coronavirus, according to the Government Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre medical assistant, Lei Wai Seng.

A 59-year-old shuttle bus driver from gaming operator SJM Holdings is one of the 10 people from Macau infected with the deadly virus, causing authorities to consider bus drivers among those most as risk.

This has led health authorities to conduct tests on shuttle bus drivers regardless of whether they have shown symptoms of Coronavirus or not, with tests conducted on 103 drivers so far.

According to Lei, public bus drivers, taxi drivers and casino and hotel workers were also considered to be the most at-risk cases of contracting Coronavirus due to the level of contact they have with tourists coming from mainland China.

While most of the resorts have been closed and all casino activities have been suspended for 15 days in order to contain the spread of the virus, shuttle buses continue to carry people to and from local hotel properties.