Briefs | Live poultry imports to cease

Live poultry imports to Macau will cease permanently due to concerns over the bird flu virus, Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan has said. The decision follows the discovery last month of the H7N9 influenza virus in a sample collected from the Nam Yuet wholesale market. “Central slaughtering means the chickens will not be sent to the market [anymore],” she said as cited by public broadcaster TDM. “As long as there are live chickens and avian flu, chickens still have to be slaughtered [so] the problem will still be unresolved,” she added contrarily. No decision has yet been made with regard to how the MSAR will supply consumers with chicken after the import ban, however the secretary added that “it will be necessary to issue permits” for the import of pre-slaughtered and frozen poultry.

Tam visits Fai Chi Kei Health Care Center

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, visited the Fai Chi Kei Health Care Center on Wednesday to foster closer contact with both users and medical staff and learn about several facilities and services of the center. The Secretary exchanged views with patients and medical staff and learned about services performed by the facility, such as colorectal cancer screening, elderly healthcare and provision of a breastfeeding room. During the visit, Tam praised the “great progress” achieved by the Health Care Center since its inauguration two years ago. The secretary also noted the sense of mission needed from professionals in the sector, further stating that he expects all health professionals to improve service levels.

Local woman arrested for mailing drugs

A local female resident was arrested after having tried to mail marijuana to mainland China, Gongbei customs authority reported earlier this week.  A total of 512 grams of marijuana was seized. According to the Gongbei customs, the mail bag originally came from Canada, and it had been declared as containing morel mushrooms. On the morning of February 5, Zhuhai police arrested the Macau resident, having seized a phone and a scale. The woman told the police that she purchased the drugs abroad, and was preparing to sell them to mainland drug users.

Zhuhai sees an increase in allergies during CNY

After the Chinese New Year holiday, Zhuhai’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Center registered a 10 percent increase in the number of people with skin allergic reactions, according to a report by Jornal Va Kio. Experts at the center said that the growth was caused by the patients’ unusual dining habits and by an unrestrained lifestyle. In regard to the elderly, allergies have been mainly caused by their overworking at home before the Chinese New Year, as well as by sudden changes in weather conditions. Among the younger ones, allergic reactions usually followed hair dying and inappropriate pill consumption for colds.

Gov’t to regulate breast milk-related services

The Health Bureau (SSM) is conducting research regarding the city’s non-authorized professionals who help women increase their breast milk supply, according to the Secretary of the Council for Medical Affairs in Macau, Leong Pui San. Leong said that Macau has physical therapists and medical centers registered that provide breast milk-related services, and that these services are under SSM’s supervision. One nurse from SSM, surnamed Vong, stated that the local government hires professional doctors from Hong Kong to provide a 30-hour training course to local medical professionals, specifically to improve their knowledge regarding breastfeeding. Vong urges local mothers to look for professional medical staff in case they need assistance.

‘Rabbit Lanterns’ on exhibition from tomorrow

“Little Rabbit Lanterns – An Exhibition by Carlos Marreiros and Friends Part 12” will be inaugurated tomorrow at the Albergue SCM at Saint Lazarus district. As has become usual, the exhibition that celebrates the festivities of the “Moon Lantern Festival” will be held at the Albergue space (A2 Gallery) for about one month (February 11 – March 5) showing a series of works on one of the most traditional local celebrations. Admission is free of charge.

Number of illegally parked cars in UM declines

The number of vehicles involved in parking space abuse at the University of Macau (UM) has dropped from 183 at the peak of the period of infringements to two, at present, according to a statement from the UM. With the assistance of the Macau police force, the UM’s Security and Transport Section successfully persuaded owners of more than 100 vehicles to vacate the relevant parking spaces. The UM opened its campus and part of its facilities to the public after it completed its relocation in 2014. After implementation of the rules, the university started charging parking fees according to the ‘user-pays’ principle. The university said that it will continue to improve its parking facilities and parking system this year.

Djibouti grants visa-on-arrival to local passport holders

Travelers to Djibouti who hold a Macau passport will be granted a visa upon their arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days, the Djibouti Immigration Authority has confirmed. To be eligible for the visa, travelers must also possess either an invitation letter, proof of hotel reservation or round-trip air ticket. According to a statement issued by the Identification Department, the MSAR was informed by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC in Macau. At present, a total of 126 countries or territories have agreed to grant visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to MSAR Passport holders.