Authorities cordoned off the area nearby the apartment of a Covid patient
Yesterday, Macau recorded a Covid-19 infection, the director of the Health Bureau (SSM), Dr. Alvis Lo, informed yesterday during the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center press briefing.
According to Lo, the case is a 37-year-old female, a resident from Hong Kong who arrived in Macau on September 19 after a business trip to Europe and the Middle East.
The woman, who has been undergoing medical observation in quarantine at the Treasure Hotel from September 19, tested positive in a routine nucleic acid test (NAT) after seven days in quarantine.
According to the health authorities, her NAT is a low positive test, which could indicate that she is relapsing from a previous infection. Still, the authorities have not yet ruled out the possibility of reinfection during her trip or in the period right before initiating the trip that brought her to Macau, even though her NAT before boarding and at the arrival in Macau were both negative.
Questioned by the media if this case, filed under Case No. 67, can be in any way related to the previous infections in the Golden Crown China Hotel, located next to the Treasure Hotel, Lo said that the investigation suggested it was unlikely that it was linked to the three cases in the Golden Crown China Hotel which motivated the second mass testing program for the whole population.
“At the moment, we can’t link the cases. They are in different hotels. We are trying to see if there was any relation or link but so far, we could not find any relation between these cases,” Lo said. However, he added, “But since there is a connection between these two hotels, we cannot yet clear this possibility completely. We are currently evaluating her case to see if this is a relapse or a reinfection.”
Also asked on the case and whether the patient has been vaccinated, the coordinator of the Novel Coronavirus Contingency Coordination Center, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, confirmed that the patient was vaccinated with two doses of the Sinovac vaccine in early March and early April this year.
Currently, the patient has no symptoms and has been transferred to the Public Health Clinical Center in Coloane for further diagnosis and treatment.
At this center, according to Dr. Tai Wah Hou, Coordinator of SSM Vaccination Operation, there are the three previous cases of infection (64 to 66) all in good condition and without any symptoms
Tai also added that at the same facility, there are five other patients undergoing recovery and 10 people in isolation because they are close contacts of Covid-19 patients.
Two quarantine hotels to remain isolated until Oct. 1
The two quarantine hotels (Golden Crown China Hotel and Treasure Hotel) that have been put under closed management without outside contact will continue to operate in this manner at least until October 1, Dr. Leong Iek Hou said in reply to a media inquiry.
The two quarantine hotels have been closed due to being considered at risk of contagion with both guests and staff members undergoing quarantine. This means that both groups are required to stay inside and without contact with the outside society until no further infection cases in the venues have been recorded.
This also means that people lodged at these venues since last Friday will see their quarantine time extended for at least one week.
In response to a question, Leong remarked that the hotel staff will continue to work and provide normal services to guests but they cannot leave the venues, so they will be staying in the hotels until they are considered safe from potentially being infected and spreading the virus into the community.
National Day celebrations to move ahead
Dr. Leong said that the celebrations of China’s National Day, on October 1 have been green-lighted by the health authorities.
Leong noted that nevertheless, precautionary measures such as ensuring social distancing between the participants, the presentation of green health codes, and body temperature checking need to be enforced.
She also noted that in the case of dining events that include over 400 participants, according to the prevention and control guidelines, participants must be tested for Covid-19 before entering the venue. RM
People in red and yellow zones undergoing second NAT
Questioned by the media on the current situation of the people living in the areas considered at high risk of contagion (red and yellow zones), Dr. Leong explained that the first round of NAT done when cases 65 and 66 were discovered delivered all negative results, adding that between yesterday and today, they should be undergoing a second round of NAT.
Leong also said that, so far, there are no reports of anyone feeling unwell or having symptoms that could be linked to an infection.
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