The Macau SAR government has again tightened entry restrictions with all foreign non-resident workers now barred from entering Macau as of midnight on Thursday 19 March. Such workers, also known as Blue card holders, who are resident in mainland China, Hong Kong or Taiwan are exempt.
The measures follow confirmation of four more cases of COVID-19 in the SAR on Wednesday, taking the total to 17.
An Indonesian woman, the wife of a non-resident worker, arriving from Jakarta on 17 March was the first of those, followed by a 31-year-old Filipino non-resident hotel waiter who returned to Macau from the Philippines on 16 March. Late Wednesday night, the government confirmed two more cases – a student returning from London as well as the son of Macau’s 14th coronavirus case.
Authorities have subsequently decided to bar entry for all foreign non-resident workers in order to limit the further spread of the virus throughout the city.
Likewise, Hong Kong has announced it will quarantine all arrivals regardless of whether they are Hong Kong residents. Controversially, Hong Kong is using wristband technology to electronically monitor those under quarantine.
