Testing in target zones identifies three new cases, two related to imported case

Testing conducted Sunday in the target zones, as well as buildings classified as red zones in Fai Chi Kei and Areia Preta, have returned three positive results. Of these, two are related to the first patient who was found to be positive, while health authorities have yet to establish a source of infection for the third.

According to Dr. Leong Iek Hou, coordinator of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, around 62,000 nucleic acid tests (NATs) were conducted Sunday, of which over 15,000 were regular NATs from working groups.

Of the others, two were positive. Both are from the 357  people in isolation in the red zone. The third test is from late Saturday and concerns a 34-year-old local woman who lives in one of the target zones and is a housewife .

The source of the woman’s infection is unclear, but Leong said she potentially has common itineraries in the Iao Hon market area and surroundings that match the previously identified cases.

The mother of two has tested positive. Other members of the family have, so far, tested negative, including her children who attend kindergarten in the Tamagnini Barbosa area. Both children completed two tests on October 30 and 31, the results of which were negative.

As a preventive measure, the school has suspended the classes frequented by these children and all school colleagues have also been tested. So far, no positive results have been found.

The tests of all 1,500 people in lockdown at MGM Cotai hotel were also negative, Leong said noting that no other cases have been linked to the two imported cases found between October 26 and 31 and the eight infected cases related to them.