Covid-19: affected by the Delta variant, Macao is screening all of its inhabitants

Following cases of the Delta variant, Macau will test all of its inhabitants.

Philip FONG AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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Macau has started screening all of its residents after a family of four tested positive for the Delta variant of Covid-19.

The authorities of the Chinese autonomous territory wish, in the space of three days, to test 680,000 people.

A radical measure, not without economic consequences.

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As soon as the authorities announced it, the value of the shares of several casinos in Macao, the main engine of the economy of this former Portuguese colony, fell on the markets.

Investors fear a closure of gambling establishments in the short term.

For the moment, only cinemas, theaters, bars, nightclubs and massage parlors have been ordered to close from midnight.

Macau

closed its casinos

 for a fortnight last year when the virus was first detected.

A measure that resulted in a loss of 937 million dollars for the economy of the city whose gambling represents about 80% of income.

60 cases of Covid-19

The local government has since managed to contain the virus to a very low level by closing its borders and imposing severe restrictions on travelers from mainland China.

But these measures have dealt a heavy blow to tourism, with tourists being the main customers of the casinos.

Long queues formed on the morning of Wednesday, August 4 in front of the 41 screening centers set up and the application intended to fight against the coronavirus broke down, according to local media.

Macau uses the same application, designed to assess the risk of infection, as mainland China.

It allows movement to be tracked and generates screening and vaccination certificates.

So far, the city has only recorded 60 cases and no deaths.

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