Macau records new Covid-19 imported case

Macau has recorded a new imported case of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The imported case of the virus was diagnosed in a 26-year-old, female non-resident worker of Korean nationality, who had recently visited the northern Portuguese city of Porto, according to information released late last night by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center.

The patient left Macau with her boyfriend on January 30 to visit his relatives in Porto.

On March 13, the couple arrived in Hong Kong after flying from Porto with a stopover in Dubai. The patient flew on flight number EK380 from Dubai to Hong Kong and occupied seat 31J. The patient arrived in Macau at 12:30 a.m. on March 14 having traveled via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

On the same day, the patient started to show a slight cough. In the afternoon, having a fever, she went to the Conde São Januário Hospital. After being subjected to the nucleic acid test, she was diagnosed with a Covid-19 infection, and was subsequently transferred to the isolation ward of the public hospital.

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center affirmed her clinical situation is currently considered normal.

Her boyfriend, who is of Portuguese nationality, is classified as a case of close contact.

The health authority said it is investigating other people with possible contact with the infected. It calls on all passengers who have traveled on the EK380 flight from Dubai to Hong Kong to contact the government by calling 2870 0800 for follow-up.