Macau COVID-19 outbreak worsens; casinos lower personnel numbers and enhance testing

The COVID-19 outbreak in Macau has worsened, with a case count of 299 as of this past Sunday. The number of positive cases jumped from 170 on Friday and casinos have now instituted new protocols to try and slow the spread.

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau has asked casino operators to lower the number of employees on the gaming floor. Testing and protection procedures must also be enhanced to try and avoid any additional positive cases.

Moving Forward as COVID Surges

The number of confirmed cases in Macau continues to rise, so residents are being asked again to complete nucleic acid testing today. This will be the third round of testing in Macau within a one-week time frame.

For gaming companies, operators must implement guidelines issued by the Health Bureau and ensure prevention measures, including checking the health code of those entering a facility and temperature. Cleaning and disinfection need to be upgraded with fewer employees on the gaming floor to reduce the number of people in a given space.

People inside the casinos need to social distance and wear a mask. Other measures must also be taken to ensure that the virus cannot spread. Regular and special inspections need to take place so that guest and employee safety is considered at all times.

So far, there are 5,000 individuals in quarantine and of that number, over 3,000 are residents of Macau.

Strict Regulations for Casino Visitors

Health authorities are also requiring visitors to casinos to adhere to strict pandemic protocols. Every individual must have their body temperature checked and provide a health declaration statement. Visitors need to have a valid nucleic acid test that was taken within a 48-hour time frame that shows the individual is not affected by COVID-19.

Individuals in a visiting capacity as well as employees are being asked to take strict prevention measures so that the risk of spread is minimalized. Since the onset of COVID-19, Macau has been able to maintain strict regulations and avoid a virus outbreak of this magnitude. This is currently the largest number of people to have the virus in the region since it first began.

The current round of testing in Macau is expected to be completed by 6pm on June 28. If the case count is higher, it would not be surprising to see officials decide to enact even stricter regulations for both casinos as well as residents and visitors in general.