Hotel rooms at the Sheraton Grand Macao hotel (pictured in a file photo) at the city’s Sands Cotai Central casino resort, have again been allocated for Macau-government use amid the city’s response to the Covid-19 emergency. The property is operated by Sands China Ltd, a unit of United States-based casino group Las Vegas Sands Corp.
The use of some of the hotel’s facilities was outlined in a Sunday announcement by the Macau government. The role of that portion of the hotel took effect from that day.
“Given the recent increase in the number of people [entering Macau and] requiring medical observation, the rooms available at the only hotel currently designated [for quarantine purposes] are already full,” said the government.
The Pousada Marina Infante on Cotai was until Sunday the only hotel being used for medical observation in Macau, according to the authorities.
The statement did not specify how many rooms at the Sheraton Grand Macao would be used for the 14-day quarantine protocol. Half of its 4,000 hotel rooms had been used for the same purpose between late March and late April.
The Macau government’s Sunday announcement noted that all passageways that would normally connect the Sheraton Grand Macao to the shopping mall, restaurants, other hotels and facilities at Sands Cotai Central were “completely blocked” in that part of the hotel that has been designated a “special isolated area”, and could not be accessed by the general public. Access to the special isolated area was via an “independent entrance”, said the local government. The casino facilities at the resort remained open.
Macau has not had a Covid-19 case since early April. All 45 confirmed patients have been released from hospital care, and the city recorded no death from the disease.
The Macau authorities have said that all those permitted to enter the city during the novel coronavirus emergency and that are coming from outside mainland China would be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine at local hotels designated for the purpose, before being allowed into the community. The measure covers residents from Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Macau residents returning from overseas.
