NagaWorld ops paused after 11 staff positive for Covid-19

Mar 02, 2021 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck  

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Business has been “immediately and voluntarily” suspended at Cambodian casino complex NagaWorld (pictured), after 11 employees tested positive for Covid-19 amid screening of 3,000 workers, said the resort’s promoter in a Monday filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

It followed a testing process that took place “on or around 27 February,” said NagaCorp Ltd in the announcement. The filing did not mention the precise date of closure for the complex, nor the expected date for reopening.

“The company is acting responsibly and swiftly to volunteer to temporarily suspend its business for a more thorough review of its precautionary and preventive measures already undertaken, while running in parallel a wholesome cleansing of the entire property to further protect all of its employees and visitors alike,” stated the firm.

It added NagaCorp was engaging in “full consultation” with Cambodia’s Ministry of Health on the matter.

The Hong Kong-listed company runs the NagaWorld complex in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. It has an exclusive licence to operate casinos there and in the city’s surroundings.

Monday’s filing further stated that “since 26 January 2020,” the company had “acted responsibly” and had undertaken “the necessary precautionary and preventive measures” against Covid-19.

The company said that even prior to suspension of operations, all employees of, and visitors to, NagaWorld had been required to wear masks and undergo a body-temperature checks before entering the complex’s premises.

At the entrances of the casinos, the company had installed infrared body-temperature sensors, “similar to the ones installed at international airports,” said NagaCorp.

Equipment for hand sanitisation was “available at every corner of the casinos”  within the property; and at “every gaming table”.

“Frequent scheduled disinfection is carried out for all public areas within the property. Social distancing is also practised to ensure reasonable distancing” between all users of the complex, whether employees or visitors, said the announcement.

“In addition, since early 2020, the company has been working” with the nation’s Ministry of Health in “the fight” against Covid-19, said NagaCorp.

The firm said the temporary shutdown was needed as it “would like to improve and … review fully and holistically of all its health preventive and precautionary measures and to proceed with a complete and full set of sanitisation processes of its business premises.”

It added: “The company intends to open for business after achieving some milestones of success in the fight and prevention for Covid-19 after consultation with the Ministry of Health.”

In October, NagaCorp said in a filing that it had seen a “relatively good recovery and sustenance” of average daily gaming business volumes during August and September, following the re-opening of gaming facilities in July. All casinos in Cambodia were ordered to shut down temporarily with effect from April 1 last year, as part of a number of measures to prevent the further spread of the pandemic domestically.

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