Hong Kong, Aug. 1 (BUS) – Macau will reopen public services and recreational facilities, and allow dining in restaurants from Tuesday, authorities said, as the world’s largest gambling hub seeks to return to normal life after finding any cases of coronavirus. . for nine consecutive days.
The government said in a statement on Monday that beauty salons, fitness centers and bars will also be allowed to resume operations.
Health authorities will require residents to wear masks when going out and must test negative for coronavirus within three days to enter most places.
“No community cases have been reported in Macau for nine consecutive days…and the risk of the coronavirus spreading has been significantly reduced,” she added.
The former Portuguese colony has reported around 1,800 infections since mid-June when it was hit by the worst outbreak of the coronavirus that forced the closure of casinos and shut down most of the city.
Macau reopened casinos on July 23, as authorities began to unwind strict measures that required the closure of most businesses and buildings.
This is the first time Macau has had to contend with a rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
More than 90% of Macau’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but authorities have closely followed China’s no-COVID mandate that seeks to curb all outbreaks of the virus at almost any cost, unlike the rest of the world already living with the virus.
The city has one public hospital that was already overburdened even before the pandemic.
Analysts said that while Macau casinos are open, there is likely to be no business for at least a few weeks, due to the stricter restrictions still in place.
Sands China, Wynn Macau, MGM China, Galaxy Entertainment, SJM Holdings and Melco Resorts are the current six casino licenses holders in Macau. Their licenses will expire by the end of the year.
They are absorbing losses as they prepare to bid for new licenses at a company that generated $36 billion in revenue in 2019, the last year before COVID restrictions hit the sector.
MI