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Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 17:38
Macao reports 2 imported cases, bans entry for non-residents
By Chen Zimo
Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 17:38 By Chen Zimo

MACAO/HONG KONG - Macao will prohibit travelers of foreign nationalities from entering the special administrative region effective Wednesday, the special administrative region announced Tuesday.

Macao residents, Chinese nationals from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and those registered with the city as non-resident workers will be exempted from the ban.

Also exempted will be those involved in the prevention, control, and treatment of diseases, relief efforts and emergencies; the maintenance of the normal functioning of Macao; and the basic living standards of residents.

The latest entry restrictions came as Macao reported two more imported COVID-19 case on Tuesday and the third for this month.

ALSO READ: Macao to quarantine, observe all people from foreign countries

Macao had not reported any COVID-19 cases for 40 consecutive days until Sunday. All the previous 10 confirmed cases had recovered and were discharged from the hospital

The latest infection involved a 20-year-old woman traveling from London of Britain.

The patient, a Macao resident who had studied in Britain, arrived in Hong Kong by air on Monday from London via Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia. She arrived in Macao through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and was found to have fever by Macao's medical personals when entering Macao.

Another patient confirmed on Tuesday was a 47-year-old businessman of Spanish nationality. 

According to Macao health authorities, the man took flight SU2501 from Madrid in Spain to Moscow, Russia from where he traveled on March 15 to Beijing on flight SU204.

READ MORE: Chartered flight brings home 57 Macao residents from Hubei

On March 16, the man flew from Beijing to Macao on flight NX001. According to Macao health authorities, there were seven passengers on that flight.

The man was found to have a fever while entering Macao and sent to a local hospital for virus test.

Macao also reported one imported COVID-19 case on Sunday, involving a traveller from Porto of Portugal.    

Macao had not reported any COVID-19 cases for 40 consecutive days until Sunday. All the previous 10 confirmed cases had recovered and were discharged from the hospital.

Tuesday's cases brought the SAR's tally to 12.

Since Feb 20, non-residents with work permits who have visited the mainland in the past 14 days have been required to be quarantined in Zhuhai for 14 days before entering Macao. 

According to rules announced Monday, those who travel to places outside China will be quarantined in designated places for 14 days after arriving in Macao. Chinese nationals from Hong Kong and Taiwan are required to be quarantined in Macao only if they have visited the Chinese mainland and other high-risk areas in the past 14 days.

Chinese nationals who enter Macao from the mainland will receive medical examinations at two temporary checkpoints. The examinations will take six to eight hours. Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to a hospital for further examination.

With Xinhua inputs

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