The city’s medical staff saw three new Covid-19 cases between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday morning. As of yesterday’s daily press briefing, the total number of cases remains at 17 since the outbreak first reached Macau in late January.
The last case to be reported is the youngest Covid-19 patient so far in Macau. He is the 11-year-old son of the 14th case, who is the spouse of a non-resident worker. The family is, according to the Health Bureau, of Indonesian nationality.
He and his parents boarded Cathay Pacific flight CX718 from Jakarta to Hong Kong on March 17. He sat in seat number 47E. The boy then travelled to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau Bridge.
The patient is currently being treated at Conde de São Januário Hospital (CHCSJ) and is in mild condition. Meanwhile, his father tested negative on March 18 after he developed a fever believed to be unrelated to the coronavirus. The health authority said he would be retested 48 hours after his initial examination.
The city’s 16th case, a 19-year-old female student, is also being treated at the CHCSJ. She returned from the U.K. with four schoolmates. They took Singapore Airlines flight 317 from London Heathrow Airport to Singapore, and then flight 856 operated by the same airline company from Singapore to Hong Kong.
Two of her schoolmates are Macau residents. The three of them crossed the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge into Macau. A third schoolmate, a Hong Kong resident, chose to stay in the neighboring SAR, while the fourth schoolmate, also from Hong Kong, voluntarily returned to Hong Kong after declining to go through quarantine in Macau.
As the schoolmates were categorized as close contacts, the Macau health authority has notified its counterpart in Hong Kong about possible follow up.
The 15th case is a Filipino non-resident worker who recently returned from the Philippines. His five housemates initially tested negative, but have second tests scheduled for 48 hours after their first. They have developed respiratory symptoms.
People in Macau who have taken the same flights as the aforementioned patients should call the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center. AL
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