Gov’t identifies new cases as imported

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center received a report from their Zhuhai counterparts Saturday night that a 43-year-old female Macau resident was found to have a common itinerary with a positive case in Zhuhai, at Shunda Express in Gongbei Port Underground Shopping Centre.

The SSM arranged sampling and medical observation for the woman, who then tested positive in the early hours today. She was sent to the Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for medical care.

In addition, the Macau government disclosed the 43-year-old, the previously recorded 66-year-old patient, as well as another patient in Zhuhai were all logged as being present in the same place in Zhuhai.

Her two sons, aged 13, subsequently tested positive. They study at the Ilha Verde Secondary School of the Macau Commercial Association and tested positive yesterday. Their last tests that were conducted on October 27 yielded negative results. As of yesterday afternoon, their Cycle Threshold (CT) values were 29 and 32.

The woman tested negative in two tests conducted on October 24 and 26, and tested positive early morning yesterday. The SSM considers her infection to be in the early phases. She had a CT value of 17.5, and went to work at the casino of MGM Cotai between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on October 26, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on October 27, and between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on October 28.

The three people have been vaccinated.

A grandmother who lives with the two teenagers tested negative as of yesterday afternoon.

Their school will be closed for seven days, starting from yesterday. About 1,000 students and workers will have their health codes changed to yellow and receive five tests until then. They are encouraged to stay home.

For the time being, given the clear source of infection and route of transmission, the SSM did not see the need for citywide school suspension.

Health Bureau (SSM) director and pulmonologist Alvis Lo reiterated in a press conference yesterday that his team will conduct a “dynamic evaluation” on the situation to determine the probability of a major outbreak or the need for tighter measures. He said for the time being, “overly stringent measures” are not necessary.

Meanwhile, the criteria to determine who in MGM Cotai requires quarantine is based on the shared footprints within the premises, SSM coordination and public health doctor Leong Iek Hou explained.

She was questioned on the matter as some employees within shops in the resort were allowed to leave yesterday. She defended this decision given that these workers did not use the back-of-house facilities in the resort or did not check into or out from work at similar times to the 43-year-old. As such, they were considered to present lower risks when compared with other MGM Cotai employees.

In a press statement past midnight, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center informed that another positive case related to the 43-year-old patient was discovered – the fourth case in the cluster.

The 34-year-old Macau resident lives in the Block I of Edifício Lai Va San Chun – a  building classified as Red Zone yesterday.