Gov’t using Pousada Marina Infante as new isolation center

Pousada Marina Infante

The government has transferred 26 tourists from Hubei Province to Pousada Marina Infante, as the isolation center at the youth hostel in Hac Sa has reached its capacity limit.

As of 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a total of 26 tourists from the province of Hubei – 13 male and 13 female – are in the new isolation center located on Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus and Avenida dos Jogos da Ásia.

According to a statement issued by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center, the government has decided to make use of the hotel as the new isolation center as the capacity limit of the four-bed and two-bed bedrooms in the hostel has been reached.

“If the number of people needing isolation increases, the rooms with 16 beds on the ground floor will have to be opened. However, considering that the risk of contagion increases with the concentration of people, the government will use Pousada Marina Infante as an isolation center,” health authorities said.

The four-star hotel was closed to the public on January 29, and all previously checked-in guests has left before the isolated Hubei tourists were transferred.

According to the statement, such measures were only announced after the hotel guests had departed to avoid “unnecessary confusion among the population.”

Currently, police authorities are still on the search for the 237 people from Hubei Province that are still in the SAR, 105 of which are from Wuhan.

Today, the Times observed more police officers checking for identification cards in the streets – particularly at tourist sites such as Leal Senado and the Ruins of St. Paul’s.

Meanwhile, health authorities assured that they are following relevant measures to safeguard workers in the hotel.

“At this moment, in view of the measures taken, the Health Services Bureau has already transmitted the appropriate recommendations to the hotel workers. The government will also deploy police officers to the site to carry out their management and security work,” the statement said.

“Pousada Marina Infante is located outside the residential area, minimizing the impact on society,” it added.

Since Monday, visitors from Hubei Province – and visitors that have been to Hubei Province within the previous 14 days – have been denied permission to enter Macau unless they present a valid health certificate confirming they were free of infection from the novel coronavirus.

On Tuesday, 108 Hubei residents arrived the SAR but were prevented from entering Macau as they failed to show medical certificate indicating they were not affected by the virus.