COVID-19 In Macau Continues To Spread: The Number Of Infection Cases Reaches 900, 13 Thousand People Are Quarantined

COVID-19 training illustration. (Wikimedia Commons / Shwangtianyuan)

JAKARTA - The number of cases of COVID-19 infection in Macau has crossed 900, after local authorities reported 89 new cases, amid efforts to contain the biggest outbreak since mid-June.

More than 13,000 people are under quarantine in China's special administrative region, which has been effectively closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters reported on July 5.

More than 600,000 of the city's residents underwent three citywide COVID-19 tests this week, with people also required to have rapid antigen tests in between.

Meanwhile, the former Portuguese colony has yet to enforce the full-scale lockdowns seen in mainland Chinese cities such as Shanghai. However, most facilities are closed and restaurants can only provide take-out food.

Only Macau casinos are allowed to remain open to ensure job security. The government relies on the industry for more than 80% percent of its tax revenue, with most of the population employed directly or indirectly by casino resorts.

While the casino is physically open, there are hardly any gamblers inside and very few staff working, with many employees being asked to stay at home, per the government's request.

The strict measures were put in place after Macau has been largely COVID-free since the outbreak in October 2021. They still have an open border with mainland China, with its economy heavily dependent on the influx of Chinese visitors.

Macau is adhering to China's 'zero-COVID' policy which aims to eradicate all outbreaks, at any cost, against the global trend of trying to coexist with the virus.

Meanwhile, the number of cases remains well below daily infections elsewhere, including neighboring Hong Kong where cases jumped to more than 2,000 a day this month.

However, Macau only has one public hospital, whose services are being extended daily. Officials have set up a makeshift hospital next to the city's Las Vegas-style Cotai line, to help contain the rise in cases.