Health authorities: no travelers can avoid medical examination

The health authorities admitted yesterday that they have been experiencing several problems with Macau residents returning from overseas that refuse to cooperate with the local authorities regarding certain preventive measures. However, the government has insisted that all people arriving from areas considered of high risk must undergo the proper medical checks.

Yesterday, the coordinator of the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center, Leong Iek Hou, admitted that the authorities have been experiencing problems with several residents who have expressed an unwillingness to undergo the mandatory medical examination at a location indicated by the Health Bureau (SSM).

According to the official, the most pressing case refers to a group of teenaged residents of Macau who arrived from Portugal in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Upon their arrival, in accordance with the current rules, they should have been brought to a medical facility to undergo a period of isolation and medical examination. However, because they were underage, the process required the authorization of their parents or guardians. Leong admitted that there was some miscommunication, and insufficient information on the part of the parents, as some of the parents thought they could choose between doing the “quarantine period” at home or at the medical facility, which the coordinator explained is incorrect.

“All people arriving from areas considered of high-risk of contagion need to submit to the medical examination at a medical facility to be indicated by the SSM. Only those arriving from areas of moderate risk can opt for doing self-quarantine at home,” Leong reaffirmed.

In a letter shared with the media the parents claimed to have not been informed about the situation or to have received any communication from the SSM staff who received the youngsters at the airport. The parents said that they had waited for three hours at the airport without being informed of the situation. They are calling on the government to improve its procedures.

The director of the SSM, Lei Chin Ion, remarked that according to the Law on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the health authorities have the right to undertake the tasks to manage the situation and ensure the needs of citizens, with a period of 24 hours in which they should communicate with spouses or other family members about the situation of the person undergoing medical examinations.

Lei appealed to residents to abide by the law and cooperate with the authorities on the protection of the health of all the citizens, including those being examined.

Leong also noted that according to the same laws, “anyone refusing to submit to a voluntary medical examination is subjected to compulsory hospitalization measures as well as criminal liability.”

Lei added that citizens, as well as parents and guardians, have the right, according to the same law, to appeal the decision of the health authorities to the courts in cases where they feel that the authorities have failed to comply with their duties and competencies. However, Leong noted that even this appeal procedure cannot suspend the medical examination procedures.

Addressing the procedures of all the people arriving from high-risk areas, Leong said, “All of them [during the period of isolation] need to undergo two nucleic acid tests independent of their age.”

As the Times reported last week, an isolation period is not the same as quarantine and usually takes about three days to be concluded. It occurs in cases where the first test is negative. After the first test, people need to remain in isolation for at least 48 hours, the time needed for the second test to be performed. The results of such tests take on average six to eight hours to be known.

Macau sees 13th case in student returnee

Macau confirmed its 13th case of Covid-19 infection this evening in a 20-year-old local resident who has been studying in the United Kingdom. The female student recently left the British capital of London to travel to Hong Kong via Kuala Lumpur. Arriving in Hong Kong on Monday night, the patient made the connection to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Upon arrival at the border post of the bridge, health authorities detected a fever in the patient and sent her to the Conde de São Januário Hospital. After nucleic acid testing, the student was confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus. The patient’s health status is considered normal, but she remains currently hospitalized. An investigation into her travel arrangements and those she may have had close contact with is ongoing.