Health authorities have announced today (Thursday) that all Filipino nationals, including Macau residents who hold Filipino passports, will be listed as key groups and required to carry out nucleic acid testing every day starting from tomorrow.
Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre Coordinator, Dr. Leong Iek Hou indicated at the press conference this afternoon that according to the analysis of statistics of confirmed cases, the infection rate of Filipinos was higher than that of other groups of people.
In order to control and treat the positive covid-19 case discovered in the Filipino nationals groups as soon as possible, the health authorities have decided that all Filipino nationals including Macau residents who hold Filipino passports, will need to conduct daily nucleic acid testing starting from July 22.
Among the over 1,700 cases discovered in the recent pandemic outbreak, 171 of them were Filipinos, accounting for 9.5 per cent of the total, the health authorities noted.
Replying to media concerns, Leong added that Filipino domestic helpers who live with their employers are also considered to be included in the key group.
Last week, the health bureau has announced that all domestic workers not residing with their employers would be listed as a high-risk key work group and required to carry out nucleic acid testing and rapid antigen testing every day.
Virtually all domestic helpers in the city are non-residents with Macau law allowing for them to reside in separate residences from their employers.
As of May of this year, there were 24,543 non-resident domestic helpers in the Macau SAR, the majority from either the Philippines, Vietnam or Indonesia, Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) data shows.
In addition, the area from Rua de S.Jose to Rua da Praia do Manduco, and the area from Camoes (Pak Gap Chaau) garden to San Kio district will be listed as key areas, and those who live, work or stay in the areas for more than half an hour on and after July 18th will be required to take nucleic acid testing every day starting from tomorrow for three consecutive days.
The government will subsequently decide which areas to be added to the key areas lists according to the changes in the pandemic situation, with relevant nucleic acid test requirements imposed on people living in the areas.
All Filipino nationals and people living in the key areas need to get tested, including young children under 36 months, as well as elderly or disabled people who have difficulties going out, the health authorities stressed.
Those who fail to conduct the test will have their health code turned yellow on the next day and turned red on the day after the next day, and their health code can only be turned green after they have completed the test.
Meanwhile, from July 24 to July 29, people working on-site must undergo nucleic acid testing every two days.
Those who have left their residency for work from July 20 to July 29, will have to take nucleic acid testing every two days during the period from July 24 to July 29, regardless of their job types or the number of hours they have worked.
