Late September, two new cases were discovered in the city, and the number soon increased by four more. Macau hoped to prevent another community outbreak and increased the safety measures, however a batch of ten individual samples was tested at the Kiang Wu Hospital and produced positive results, reported GGRAsia.
The growing rate of infection caused the nearby city of Zhuhai to implement a requirement for all arrivals from Macau to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine. The restriction was to be eased on Monday, 4 October, though travellers would still have to show proof of vaccination and have a negative nucleic acid test certificate that was issued within 48-hours. However, the easing of requirements was put on hold in light of the new cases discovered in Macau.
Golden Week started on 1 October, but new infections have stopped tourists from travelling to Macau. The city’s Public Security Police reported the arrival of only 3,122 visitors during the first two days of the holiday, a nearly 92% decline compared to the same period last year.
Ho Iat Seng, Macau’s Chief Executive, admitted that even if Zhuhai dropped its quarantine requirement, it likely won’t be enough to help Macau’s tourism during Golden Week. Reportedly, only five out of 25 major hotels in Macau were booked solid for more than three nights during the holiday.
Golden Week was thought to provide a boost to Macau’s industry, as it’s an active tourism period in mainland China, but the surge of Covid-19 cases and newly implemented safety restrictions have greatly reduced the number of visitors willing to visit Macau.
