Briefs | Mild patients transferred to Coloane

Three Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms have been transferred to the Public Health Clinical Center on Coloane Hilltop for treatment, Lo Iek Long, medical director of the Conde São Januário Hospital disclosed. The doctor stressed that there is nothing to worry about, as this is part of a pre-existing contingency plan. There are 120 beds in total on the top three floors of the center. The Health Bureau is now only using the top floor of the center. Arrangements for patients will be adjusted according to the situation. Currently, only 8.6% of negative pressure isolation ward beds are being used. Lo is confident that the local hospital has adequate capacity.

Insurance agents ask for license fee waiver

An association representing local insurance agents has made a request to the government to waive this year’s license fee. In addition, they requested that the government waive or postpone the compulsory training sessions for this year. The other three requests the association has made to the government were about extending relief measures to the industry, expanding the use of medical vouchers to medical insurance charges, as well as investigating medical insurance for all. The Monetary Authority of Macao replied to the association that the government has already announced several types of tax returns and a waiver on the license fee is likely included.

Many hotels show interest in becoming designated hotels

After Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng expressed disappointment several days ago about the difficulty the government faced sourcing hotels to host quarantined arrivals, Inês Chan from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) disclosed that many hotels – some of them small hostels – have contacted the office to express their willingness to become a designated hotel, or to inquire about the scheme. However, the tourism official declined to name any hotels as “there is a lot of work going on” and she did not want to cause public confusion. Before being confirmed as a designated hotel, inspectors from the Health Bureau, MGTO and the police will inspect the premises.