57 new cases found, tally rises to 1,583

The discovery of 57 new positive cases on Monday brought the total number of Covid-19 cases to 1,583, the coordinator at the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, announced during yesterday’s press briefing of the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center.

Of these, 24 are considered cases found in the community. However, Leong noted that only 18 were technically found in the community via mass testing and community testing measures. This is because six of the cases were found in people already under observation as a result of being close contacts of others known to be infected.

The same official also informed that 25 new people have been released from medical observation (10 previously confirmed cases and 15 asymptomatic cases).

Although the figure represents an effective increase when compared with the results for July 10, Leong explained that this happens because of the need to follow up on the results obtained during the seventh round of citywide testing, which revealed that 17 batches of 10-in-1 samples tested positive. The final results of these tests were only obtained on the following day and so were recorded on July 11.

She also noted that from those 17 cases, eight positive cases were found in the testing of the key groups: three cases related to people working in the food and beverage sector, and another five on people working in the cleaning sector.

“We can verify that these measures [citywide mass testing and testing of key groups] are essential to identify all the positive cases within the community and to effectively interrupt the transmission chain,” Leong said, adding that to achieve an eventual outcome of no cases in the community, “we must continue to test.”

Noting the eighth round of citywide mass testing, which started yesterday, Leong said that until 3 p.m. 182,404 samples had been collected. Of these, 32,952 have already returned negative results. No group sample tested positive as of this time yesterday.

The eighth round of mass testing concludes today at 6 p.m.

88-year-old woman recorded as third death of Covid-infected patient

An 88-year-old woman has passed away while under the care of the health authorities while infected with Covid-19 since July 6, deputy director of the Conde de São Januário Hospital Center, Dr. Lei Wai Seng has confirmed at the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center press briefing.

According to Lei’s report, the woman – who had contracted Covid-19 in an elderly home – had several chronic diseases, including a cardiac condition and diabetes, among other health issues.

Noting the attempt from the physicians from the Health Bureau to treat her with antiviral medicines, “she became unwell due to a severe [diabetic] episode and after discussion with her family members it was decided to not treat her more invasively. She was pronounced dead at around 1 p.m. yesterday,” Lei said.

This is the third death of a patient infected with the virus, although in none of these cases was a direct correlation between the virus and the cause of death established.