Local health authorities have detected four new and related cases of Covid-19 infection. Although the cases will demand the lockdown of some buildings and establishments frequented by those infected, risk for the population is under control, the coordinator of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, said yesterday during a specially arranged briefing from the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center.
According to the same health official, the cases are all related and most probably originated with the infection of a 74-year-old man working as a taxi driver. Citing an epidemiological investigation, Leong said all evidence pointed to the possibility of the taxi driver being infected after transporting a group of four tourists from the mainland, one of whom had a cough.
The other three cases are a couple that are family members of the first man and his 14-year-old grandson.
So far, only the 74-year-old and the grandson are presenting very slight symptoms of the disease, such as a sore throat.
Leong said the authorities were aware of the case because the taxi driver, after feeling unwell, took a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) that turned out positive.
After uploading the result to the platform, the case was followed by the health authorities who transported him to the public hospital to perform a nucleic acid test (NAT) that confirmed the infection.
Due to the positive result also obtained by the 14-year-old student at Pui Ching Middle School, authorities took measures regarding students and teachers. Students from the same class and teachers who taught this class will have their health codes turned to yellow and will need to undergo four NATs in five days between November 29 and December 3.
As for the other students and teachers, they will also have to undergo NAT, but only three tests in five days, while their health codes will remain green.
The school will remain open and classes will continue to operate, although extracurricular activities, as well as other activities that involve the mixing of students from different classes, have been suspended for the time being and while the period of NAT is ongoing.
Authorities are also tracing all those who attended the Macau Food Festival Sunday since the 14-year-old was at the event.
Leong says authorities are cross-
referencing the data from the location QR code referencing from the teen and other people who might have been in close contact, to also call them to undertake three NATs in the upcoming five days.
At the same press briefing, the representative from the Macao Government Tourism Office, Liz Lam, announced that the Royal Dragon Hotel located in the ZAPE area will be a new hotel designated to receive people whose health codes turn red as result of being classified as close contacts from these cases, and therefore need to undergo a period of quarantine in medical observation.
Further, residents entering hospitals, health centers, elderly homes and courts are required to submit their RAT results on the government’s platform from today.
The measure will be in place until further notice.
