‘Very low’ community case numbers boost prospects for deconfinement
The results obtained by health authorities during the several levels of testing held on July 16 (Saturday) boost the prospects of progressive relaxation of the restrictive measures in force. It also means the city is more likely to reach, by the end of this week, the so-called “period of consolidation.” The recent testing detected only four positive cases in the community and, of those, all cases were considered part of special groups (two cases were close contacts and two were from key groups).
During yesterday’s press briefing with the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center, the coordinator at the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, highlighted these results, expressing hope that the goal established on Saturday by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong, can be reached as planned.
The “period of consolidation” was presented by Ao Ieong on Saturday and will be a period of continuing relative confinement during which authorities will progressively allow the city to return to its previous state, prior to the June 18 outbreak. To do so, conditions will be imposed such as the use of face masks and continued testing for different groups.
According to figures cited by Leong, a total of 27 new positive cases were found on July 16, of which 23 were detected in people undergoing medical observation in isolation either at home (red zones of confinement) or in quarantine hotels.
Authorities also explained that the outbreak which occurred in connection with The Parisian hotel in Cotai is contributing to the growing number of cases.
Leong added that a total of 65 people have been released from medical observation, including 39 cases of asymptomatic infection and 26 confirmed cases that are considered recovered. In total, 384 people in connection with last month’s outbreak have been released from isolation and have returned to the community.
By 3 p.m. yesterday, from the tenth round of citywide mass testing that finished at 6 p.m., a total of 598,991 people had been tested and, of those, 449,862 samples had already returned negative results. Three batches containing 10-in-1 mixed samples have tested positive, and the results of retesting will likely be known later today.
Questioned by the media as to when the population could see some measures lifting, Leong explained that this will depend “on everyday evolution of results,” but added, “we hope that this week we will detect zero cases and can enter the period of consolidation.”
