The son of the 66-year-old Covid-19 patient tested positive for the virus, authorities announced past midnight, after reports that it had not identified positive results from the nucleic acid tests (NATs) conducted on the population within the target zone of Fai Chi Kei district.
A statement from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the unvaccinated 31-year-old son lives with her mother and has recently participated in a class held by the Labour Affairs Bureau. He has been in quarantine since the morning of October 26 when he tested negative for Covid. However, a NAT result yesterday showed he was “weakly positive” for the virus.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing from the center yesterday, the coordinator of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, said that since Wednesday 4 p.m. and until Thursday morning, health authorities tested 33,718 people within Fai Chi Kei. Residents and those who spent time in the area the previous day were tested. From these results, 10,548 NAT results available so far have been revealed to be negative.
She added the same authorities have collected and tested 15 environmental samples from the building where the 66-year-old woman who tested positive lives. All such samples are negative.
The 80 people who live in the same building have been tested, again with negative results.
Leong added that, according to the epidemiologic investigation, 255 people are being followed under close control, including five people who are close contacts with the patient, 122 who shared the same route and 70 general contacts. From these, 15 have been cleared as it was proven they had no contact with the patient.
She explained this finding is related to a change in the itinerary initially disclosed, which incorrectly identified a bus route the woman allegedly took from the Border Gate to the city.
Leong said the authorities are not considering extending any measures to other areas for now. Those in the marked zone will continue to be tested for three days.
“If, after these three consecutive days, there are no cases found in the community, this means that the risk of transmission is low,” Leong said.
More tests than expected
Leong noted that, although the health authorities believe that the case could lead to the testing of around 26,000 people, a far higher figure had turned out to testing (around 38,000). She noted, “In fact, more people are going for NAT than what the government wanted. But this means that the citizens are being very compliant with the preventive measures and are very cautious.” She added the data is currently being crosschecked to understand whether any people within the area are missing from the call for testing.
Border measures for unvaccinated residents, TNR
As a result of this case, health authorities noted that new measures will apply for unvaccinated residents and non-resident workers (TNR) returning to Macau from Guangdong province, including the city of Shenzhen.
Unvaccinated people will need to present a valid certificate of a negative NAT within 24 hours of crossing the border, while the vaccinated continue to be subjected to the 48 hour test.
This comes after the local authorities understood that both the patient and her son were not vaccinated, and they were crossing the border regularly, which “represents a risk for the population.”
According to the statements, the rule only applies to local residents and TNR, but not to tourists arriving from the same area. Those under the age of five are exempted from the rule.
Recent Covid-19 case should not affect next month’s events
The recent discovery of a Covid-positive resident should not interfere with public events scheduled for November, the coordinator of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, said yesterday in response to a media inquiry at the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center press briefing.
Leong said the situation is under control for the time being and no cases (except this recent case, involving a 66-year-old resident) have been found.
The nucleic acid test drive will continue until the end of today, with the final results only to be known at 9 a.m. Saturday (October 29). Leong said this case is unlikely to jeopardize upcoming events such as the Macau Grand Prix (November 17 to 20), the Macau Food Festival (November 18 to December 4), or the Macau Grand Prix – Family Carnival that will be held at Tap Seac Square on the weekend of November 5 and 6.
