Authorities in Macau and in the neighbouring city of Zhuhai, Guangdong province, have decided that a proposed easing of cross-border restrictions between the two places, scheduled for 12pm today, has now been suspended, according to a Macau statement this morning (Monday, October 4). That was after the Macau health authorities stated earlier in the day that a “pooling sample”, involving 10 individual samples, produced a ‘positive’ result for Covid-19 infection.
Under the arrangement originally scheduled to start at noon today, authorities in Zhuhai were to have ended a 14-day compulsory quarantine for most travellers inbound from Macau. Even under that planned easing, people intending to cross the border into Zhuhai would still have to show proof of vaccination against Covid-19, and must hold a nucleic acid test certificate issued within 24 hours proving they are ‘negative’ for the virus.
The Macau health authorities were still reviewing the pooling sample this morning, to determine if the result was accurate, said the announcement. But the authorities have already contacted the 10 people whose samples were part of the batch, and they will all be taken separately to a dedicated facility at the public hospital for further tests, according to the statement.
Depending on the results of the new tests, the city’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre might update its anti-epidemic measures and guidelines, the statement added. Once the results are known, the authorities will then announce the new arrangement regarding border crossing between Macau and Zhuhai, added the statement.
