#17,095
Over the weekend one of the great gambling palaces of Asia - the MGM Macao - was abruptly locked down with guests inside, after an employee tested positive for COVID (see Reuters Report).
All employees and guests must now undergo daily testing, and are unable to leave until at least Nov 1st.
Meanwhile, Macao - which is currently under threat from an approaching typhoon - has ordered compulsory nationwide testing.
Macao will carry out nationwide nucleic acid testing tomorrow (November 1). If the verification has been completed today, there is no need to repeat the test tomorrow.
source: Epidemic Press Conference News letter release date:October 31, 2022 18:20
The Novel Coronavirus Infection Response Coordination Center stated that it received a notification from the Zhuhai Municipal Health Department today (31) that a 58-year-old male Macau resident who lives in Zhuhai and works in Macau had a new coronavirus nucleic acid sampling in Zhuhai last (30) night. The test was initially positive this morning. The case reported in Zhuhai has not yet been determined to be related to the confirmed cases in Zhuhai or Macau. It cannot be ruled out that there are hidden cases, which will increase the risk of the epidemic.
In order to eliminate the risk of the epidemic, a nationwide nucleic acid test will be carried out tomorrow (November 1). In order to balance the epidemic prevention work and the living needs of people in Australia, we will try our best to arrange a national nuclear test without affecting social operations and the lives of people in Australia. Inspection as a strengthening measure for epidemic prevention. At present, classes in primary and secondary schools will not be suspended, nor will nurseries be suspended, and other social operations will also try to maintain the living needs of residents.
According to the Response Coordination Center, Macao has also been affected by the typhoon recently. According to the forecast of the Bureau of Meteorology, the typhoon is expected to be closest to Macao on Wednesday.
Today Shanghai Disneyland also shut down, locking all guests and employees inside until they can be cleared by testing. The brief notice, posted on the Disney site reads:
Although exact numbers are impossible to confirm, tens of millions of people, in dozens of Chinese cities, are currently under lockdown due to China's Zero-COVID policy.
China's endgame with this virus is difficult to see, since the virus shows no signs of going away, and the vast majority of China's population has likely gained (or retained) very little immunity to COVID over the past 3 years.
With new, highly transmissible subvariants (like XBB and BQ.1) now knocking on China's door, it is far from clear how long China can keep them at bay.
But China has a billion reasons to fear that relaxing the rules now could provoke a severe, potentially crippling, epidemic across their highly susceptible population.
Leaving them with few good options other that to stay the course, and try to outlast the pandemic.
