Tests show Zhuhai case unrelated to Macau

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) tests have ruled out a connection to Macau in the latest Covid-19 positives detected by Zhuhai with footprints in the city, Valerie Wong, acting division head for health promotion at Health Bureau (SSM), confirmed yesterday.

According to Wong, the RNA sequence of the virus detected in Zhuhai aligns with that of the BA.5.2 variant, which is not the variant detected in Macau during the June 18 outbreak.

Meanwhile, it was also announced yesterday that the wife of the latest Covid-19 case with connections to Macau had also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, Wong insisted that the positive cases would not pose a high risk to the city.

Although not working at the same place, the wife had engaged in similar activities as her husband, Wong disclosed. The wife, Wong added, works at a cosmetics shop near Border Gate.

Prior to testing positive, the husband had repeatedly visited a cosmetics shop at City Plaza, which is a shopping mall near Border Gate. The health agency has so far not disclosed whether it was the same cosmetics shop where his wife worked.

However, the SSM was questioned as to why it had not publicized the wife’s Macau movements, in contrast to the disclosures regarding the husband’s movements. Wong first said that the couple had similar movements in Macau, despite not working in the same place. She then added that the SSM had put all close contacts who had interactions with either the husband or the wife in confinement. The wife herself was also under confinement when her infection was detected in Zhuhai.

Further to that, Wong said, two rounds of key area SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests (NATs) had been conducted after the city was notified by Zhuhai about the husband’s positive test result. The two key areas were in Taipa and in the vicinity of the Border Gate checkpoint. Both rounds returned no positive results, Wong recapped.

With that said, she insisted that the couple’s infections would not pose a great risk to the city.

The civil servant was also asked whether SSM would reconsider the placement of, or permission for, outdoor NAT stations by “realistically considering the conditions of Macau”. In the past typhoon period, these stations were suspended from service after Typhoon Signal No 3 was hoisted, forcing people into indoor facilities. Concerns were raised that crowds forming in indoor test stations risked an outbreak.

To this, Wong recapped that city has a total of 33 indoor test stations, which are “widely assessable.” They can cater to the needs of up to 200,000 test-takers per day. She added that outdoor stations highlight flexibility because they are supplementary to indoor stations.

“Outdoor stations will operate depending on weather conditions. Test quotas at indoor stations will be responsively altered,” Wong explained, adding that the number of test-takers from key groups and key areas do not exceed 100,000 per day. “We have sufficient quotas.”

She also disclosed that the SSM had contingency plans to provisionally set up stations at schools and sports venues when necessary.

Sanitization procedure

Speaking on another matter involving returnees and entrants, it was first disclosed on social media platform that some of their luggage was found damaged. Links were drawn to the sanitization procedure at the Macau International Airport. The press was even invited to the airport to witness a sanitization session. It is alleged that local entities spray bleach onto luggage as a means of sanitization.

The matter was raised at the regular health press briefing yesterday, in addition to complaints from alleged victims that no help had been given to them even though they had filed complaints.

Lau Fong Chi, department head for communications and external affairs at the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), admitted that she had no information related to the complaints and suggested that her bureau was not the relevant authority capable of giving an answer.

“Perhaps the concerned parties should contact the Civil Aviation Authority, the airport administration company or the relevant airlines for an answer,” Lau suggested.

Cross-border traffic

The Qingmao Border Checkpoint has been seen packed with people both inside and outside, with alleged conditions of human stacking, in the past few evenings. When questioned on the matter, Lei Tak Fai, division head at the Public Security Police Force (PSP), insisted that the police force has deployed extra officers to maintain order both in and out of the border building. It has also used various channels to encourage people to use other border checkpoints or cross the border during other times.

It was also alleged that some people were planning to use the Border Gate checkpoint at daytime and the Qingmao checkpoint at nighttime to evade certain restrictions. When commenting on the matter, Lei said the police would not avoid prosecuting wrongdoers if any were suspected of obstructing orders at border checkpoints.

The SSM also announced that, from next week onwards, the regular press briefing would only be held on Thursdays, unless otherwise announced or as changes to situations require.