Authorities in Macau and Zhuhai have again extended by seven days, to December 21 inclusive, the existing requirement that all people crossing between the two cities hold a nucleic acid test certificate issued within 24 hours proving they are ‘negative’ for Covid-19 infection.
That was despite the recent relaxation of Covid-19 countermeasures in Macau and in mainland China. Macau is entering a “new phase” in its approach to dealing with the pandemic, according to local officials.
Zhuhai, in mainland China’s Guangdong province, is normally a key overland gateway for mainland tourists.
The cross-border liaison system responsible for the initial tightening of travel protocols – known as the “Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism between Zhuhai and Macau” – announced the extension in a Wednesday update.
The 24-hour test rule had been introduced from November 16, in response to an uptick in Covid-19 infections in the mainland, and has since been extended every week.
Macau’s health authorities said on Tuesday that the city had identified 382 Covid-19 infections as of midnight on Monday, 369 of them in the community. That was up from 204 confirmed infections on Sunday.
Across the border, there has been a sequential spike in new Covid-19 infections in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, the Macau government scrapped guidelines regarding capacity limitations and entry restrictions at the city’s casinos, as part of its city-wide move to roll back existing measures against the pandemic.
The local authorities announced last weekend that from today (Wednesday, December 14), individuals who are infected with Covid-19 – that are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms – will be permitted to isolate at home. Hotels in Macau are also from today allowed to take in guests that are ‘positive’ for Covid-19, as well as their close contacts.
