With the announcement that a Covid-19 patient in Zhuhai’s Tanzhou District was a regular traveler to Macau, it was revealed that at least 8,000 people would be affected by additional disease-control measures.
The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre held a special press briefing yesterday afternoon to announce the implementation of certain measures following news of the new Tanzhou patient.
The patient, a female mainland resident, crossed the Border Gate Checkpoint several times between February 22 and 27. She mainly visited the Border Gate District.
Meanwhile, her SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests (NATs) conducted on February 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 25 yielded negative results. She was tested positive on Sunday.
Luís Gomes, acting department head of non-tertiary education at the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), told the press that in response to the newly detected patient in Tanzhou, teachers and students at local schools – tertiary or non-tertiary – who had lived in Tanzhou in the preceding 14 days are required to stay home in mainland China.
The arrangement will take effect from today.
For students, their classes or lectures will be conducted online, or they will conduct revisions at home. For teachers, arrangements will be made between them and their employers.
The DSEDJ official stressed that the bureau will stay in constant communication with the Health Bureau (SSM) on the development of the situation in Tanzhou. The date for the resumption of normal lectures for affected students will be determined based on the situation in the mainland district.
However, as the news broke out at midday, those already returned to school will be treated in accordance with SSM guidelines. Schools have been advised on the matter, Gomes said.
On the other hand, Gomes also strongly discouraged students, teachers and school workers from visiting Tanzhou.
When he was asked how many teachers and students will be affected, the education official disclosed that, according to the bureau’s records, about 300 teachers and students had registered their residential addresses in Tanzhou.
Nonetheless, he stressed that the bureau is collecting more information to confirm which individuals have actually stayed in Tanzhou and which have not.
Besides, the Coordination Centre will also conduct a one-off district-wide NAT testing operation between 5 p.m. yesterday and noon today. Those affected are residents or workers who were present in 12 residential estates directly opposite the Border Gate between February 25 and 27. Those who made brief visits, such as cargo or food delivery workers, are also encouraged to take the free test.
Nonetheless, the test results will not be uploaded to the Macau Health Code.
The centre added that those who booked regular NATs for slots between 5 p.m. yesterday and noon today would be exempt from the one-off mass test.
Approximately 8,000 people will be affected, the centre added.
On the other hand, 28 people have so far been identified as having connections with the Tanzhou patient. About half of them have taken their first NAT. The results were all negative.
Regardless of whether they have taken their first NAT, they will be relocated to a specific quarantine hotel.
The Health Bureau, for the time being, has not decided whether to classify the area as a Yellow-code District.
