Authorities in Macau have locked down several residential buildings as the world’s biggest gambling hub tries to contain a rising number of COVID-19 cases that have ground the territory to a halt, apart from casinos which mostly remain open.
Thirty-nine new infections were reported in the former Portuguese colony yesterday, increasing the total for the current outbreak to 149, with about a dozen buildings locked down and residents banned from leaving, the local government said in a statement.
More than 5,000 people are in mandatory quarantine, the government said.
Photo: Reuters
Macau, a Chinese special administrative region, is testing its more than 600,000 residents for the virus for a second time this week.
Testing was due to finish yesterday.
A makeshift hospital next to Macau’s Las Vegas-modeled Cotai Strip was also expected to open yesterday.
Macau shut down most of its city, including bars, cinemas, hair salons and outdoor parks on Thursday. Only takeaway is allowed from dining facilities.
The measures come after Macau has been largely COVID-free since an outbreak in October last year.
Macau adheres to China’s “zero COVID-19” policy, which aims to eradicate all outbreaks, at just about any cost.
Casino revenue is likely to be close to zero in the next few weeks, analysts said.
Only one of the territory’s more than 30 casinos has been closed due to COVID-19 measures, but the others have few customers, residents said.
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