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Individuals queue for Covid-19 testing in Macau, China, June 20, 2022. Picture by Reuters
Macau launched a 3rd spherical of necessary Covid-19 testing for its greater than 600,000 residents on Monday, in a push to curb an increase in infections on this planet’s largest playing hub.
Authorities in Macau have locked down a number of buildings and put greater than 5,000 folks in quarantine prior to now few days, the town’s authorities stated. Well being authorities stated 38 new Covid instances had been recorded on Sunday, taking the entire variety of infections to 299 within the newest outbreak.
Two rounds of Covid assessments had been carried out in Macau prior to now week. The most recent spherical is predicted to finish on Tuesday.
Authorities have requested folks to stay at house as a lot as doable with many of the metropolis successfully closed, together with bars, hair salons and out of doors parks. Solely takeaway is allowed from eating amenities.
Casinos, whereas principally abandoned, are allowed to remain open, the town’s authorities stated, in a transfer to guard native jobs.
The stringent measures come after the Chinese language particular administrative area has been largely Covid-free since an outbreak in October 2021. It has not beforehand needed to take care of the extremely transmissible Omicron variant.
Macau adheres to China’s “zero Covid” coverage which goals to eradicate all outbreaks, at nearly any price, working counter to a worldwide development of attempting to co-exist with the virus.
Macau’s instances are nonetheless far beneath every day infections elsewhere, together with neighboring Hong Kong the place instances have jumped to shut to 2,000 a day this month.
Hong Kong’s outbreak this 12 months noticed greater than 1 million confirmed infections, and greater than 9,000 deaths, swamping hospitals and public companies. Officers there want to ease some restrictions.
Macau solely has one public hospital with its companies already stretched each day. The territory’s swift plan to check its inhabitants comes because it retains open the border with mainland China, with many residents dwelling and dealing within the adjoining metropolis of Zhuhai.
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