A day after authorities in Macau mass-tested all its 700,000 residents, a second round of Covid-19 RT-PCR testing was announced Wednesday. The mass testing spree, prompted by the emergence of new Covid-19 cases at a major casino in Macau last weekend underlines the adoption of China’s zero-Covid policy that seeks to ensure absence of Covid-19 cases in China.
The second round of mass testing has been scheduled for Friday and Saturday for all 700,000 residents of Macau.
Earlier on Sunday, authorities in Macau locked down MGM China’s Cotai casino resort with nearly 1500 guests and staff directed to stay inside for three days. It is not immediately clear if they were released after the first round of testing on Tuesday.
WATCH | China Covid Chaos: Shanghai government bars people from entering and exiting Disney park
After a three-month long duration of virtually no Covid cases, Macau reported 11 new infections last week. Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub, saw the return of Covid-related curbs with the discovery of new cases last week, prompting worries for casino executives and investors.
In mainland China, the authorities directed the closure of Disney’s Shanghai resort to contain Covid infections this week. Meanwhile, workers at Zhengzhou’s Foxconn plant, China’s biggest iPhone-making plant, started fleeing to their native places to escape strict Covid restrictions in place. The Foxconn facility was locked down due to a Covid outbreak inside its campus, leading to a major disruption in production. Authorities Wednesday imposed a seven-day lockdown of the area that houses the Foxconn plant, an order that could hit the iPhone assembler’s shipments.
(With inputs from agencies)
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