Macao confirms five new imported COVID-19 cases
The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre has confirmed that over the course of Tuesday and up to approximately noon today, five new cases of imported COVID-19 infection have been confirmed, taking to 30 the tally of confirmed cases in Macao.
The 26th case – the first of the five recently confirmed – involves a 17-year-old female Macao resident who had been studying in the United Kingdom.
On the evening of 20 March, she travelled with her elder brother from London to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, on Emirates flight number EK4. She was in seat number 70D. They then boarded Emirates flight number EK372 from Dubai to Bangkok, Thailand. The now-patient was in seat number 27D for that leg of the journey. The now-patient and her brother then took Air Macau flight number NX881 from Bangkok to Macao. She was in seat number 10A.
Upon arrival in Macao on 23 March, the 17-year-old declared during airport-arrival formalities that she had a runny nose and a headache. She was then taken to Conde S. Januário Hospital for examination. The first COVID-19 test showed a negative result. Since she had been classified as person at high risk of infection, she was kept at the Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for 48 hours until issuance of the result from a second test. That confirmed she was infected.
She is now being kept in isolation for treatment at Conde S. Januário Hospital. She is described as showing mild clinical signs of infection relating to the novel coronavirus. Her elder brother was identified as person having had close contact with the COVID-19 patient and is being kept at the Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for a 14-day period of medical observation.
Macao’s 27th confirmed COVID-19 infection involves a 28-year-old male Macao resident who was returning from the United Kingdom. On 22 March, he took a Government-chartered coach to Macao from Hong Kong International Airport via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao (HKZM) Bridge to the HKZM Bridge Macao boundary crossing area.
During checkpoint formalities, the now-patient was directed to undergo a period of medical observation at a hotel designated for that purpose by the Government. On 24 March, an initial test showed a positive result for COVID-19 infection.
The 28th case involves an 18-year-old male Macao resident who had been studying in the United Kingdom. On 22 March, he arrived at Macau International Airport.
During airport-arrival formalities, the 28th case was also directed to undergo a period of medical observation at a designated hotel. On 24 March, an initial test also showed a positive result.
The 27th and 28th patients are now respectively being kept in isolation for treatment at Conde S. Januário Hospital. Each was described as showing mild clinical signs of infection relating to the novel coronavirus. Further details about the two cases were due to be available later.
The 29th case involves a 15-year-old female Macao resident who had been studying in the United Kingdom. On 16 March, she travelled from the United Kingdom to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, then took a connecting flight to Hong Kong. The now-patient stayed in Hong Kong for a week and took a coach to Macao on 24 March via the HKZM Bridge.
Upon arrival in Macao, she was taken to Conde S. Januário Hospital for examination since she was observed to have respiratory symptoms. This morning she tested positive for novel coronavirus-related infection. She is now being kept in isolation for treatment at Conde S. Januário Hospital. She is described as showing mild clinical signs of infection. Further details were due to be available later.
The 30th case involves a 52-year-old resident of Australia. He and his wife visited San Francisco, in the United States, from 27 February to 4 March. From 4 to 15 March, the couple were in London, in the United Kingdom. On 15 March, they left London for Hong Kong, aboard Virgin Atlantic flight number VS206. The now-patient was in seat number 66A. On 16 March, the couple arrived at Hong Kong International Airport and then took a coach to Macao via the HKZM Bridge.
The couple had intended to stay in Macao solely for the period from 16 to 20 March. They took accommodation at the Pousada De Coloane at Cheoc Van, Coloane. They claimed that during that time they mostly kept within the hotel grounds or nearby. The only exception was on 19 March, when they took a number 26A public bus to the Venetian resort. They were not allowed to enter the casino floor there because they did not have with them their passports. On the evening of 19 March, they had dinner at La Gondola, a restaurant in Cheoc Van.
On 20 March, they exited Macao heading for Hong Kong, intending to take a flight back to Australia. They were however denied entry to Hong Kong. They then returned to Macao. Under the Macao epidemic-control measures in place at that point, the couple was taken to Grand Coloane Resort for a period of 14-day medical observation. On 24 March, they each took an initial test for COVID-19 infection. The results available today showed the man was positive for infection related to the novel coronavirus.
The male patient is now being kept in isolation for treatment at Conde S. Januário Hospital. He is described as showing mild clinical signs of infection relating to the novel coronavirus. His wife has been classified as person having had close contact with the COVID-19 patient and is being kept at the Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for a 14-day period of medical observation.
