Briefs | Tap Seac Craft Market registration is open

The Tap Seac Craft Market will be held from November 16 to 18 and from November 23 to 25, at Tap Seac Square, featuring thirty-eight handicrafts workshops. The fee for each workshop is MOP50. All interested parties can register through the “Activity Registration System” on the IC’s website. The Deadline for registration is November 8 at 5 p.m. Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Craft Market features thirty-eight themed workshops, including “Double sided 4-pocket leather card holder”, “3D leather pouch”, “Modern English calligraphy”, “Hand-sewn baby shoe keychain”, and “Sterling silver wreath necklace”.

DSEC blames typhoon for tourist drop

Visitors on package tours decreased by 8.9 percent year-on-year to 687,000 in September 2018, and registered a drop of 12.1 percent month-to-month. The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) attributes the drop to the impact of Typhoon Mangkhut. Package tour visitors from mainland China (526,000) went down by 16.6 percent year-on-year, while those from South of Korea (52,000) and Taiwan (60,000) surged by 58.8 percent and 64 percent respectively. In the first three quarters of 2018, visitors on package tours totalled 6,495,000, up by 8.2 percent year-on-year. Outbound residents using services of travel agencies increased by 17.1 percent year-on-year to 124,000. The number of residents travelling on package tours dropped by 3.9 percent to 36,000, with those going to mainland China rising by 19.6 percent to 29,000 (78.6 percent of total). According to DSECM, in the first three quarters of 2018, outbound residents using the services of travel agencies totalled 1,159,000, up 14 percent year-on-year.

Unlicensed driver injures six people

 An accident that occurred in a car wash at R. da Serenidade injured six Filipino workers. It is suspected that one of the shop’s employees, who is believed not to possess a driving license, operated a car and accidently stepped on the accelerator. Two people were dragged underneath the vehicle and sustained injuries to their heads and legs. These two victims and a third needed to be hospitalized after the accident.

 Infant dies from flu-related brain disease  

 On October 28, a 4-year-old local resident died from a brain disease related to influenza, according to a statement released by the Health Bureau (SSM). The girl had a congenital heart disease and did not receive all necessary vaccines.  Seven students (four boys and three girls) in the same class were also diagnosed with the flu. Two of them required hospitalization. One was discharged after recovering from the illness, and the other is in stable condition. As a preventative measure to reduce the spread of infection, the SSM required the class to suspend activities until November 2.