Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng says a total closure of Macau’s borders is not an option the government will consider, despite Tuesday’s stunning announcement that all 41 casinos in the Special Administrative Region would close their doors for 15 days as of midnight on 5 February.
The bombshell decision, aimed at preventing the spread of the Coronavirus, followed news that two Macau IR workers had been diagnosed with the virus, taking the total number of confirmed cases in Macau to 10.
A 29-year-old woman working in the floral department at Galaxy and a 59-year-old shuttle bus driver working for SJM were identified on Tuesday as the latest to be infected.
“The [ninth patient] worked in an integrated resort, had taken crew shuttles and dined in the staff canteen, thus the government decided to close down the gaming industry and related entertainment for 15 days,” the Chief Executive said.
It was also revealed that the ninth patient had visited Macau’s eighth patient during Chinese New Year. She works in an internal department at Galaxy and does not serve guests.
“There is no sign that she was infected in the workplace,” a health official said.
The 10th patient had traveled to Guangzhou and encountered multiple tourists every day. The Health Bureau could not confirm where he picked up the infection.
As well as closing all casinos in Macau, the government has also ordered all nightclubs, cinemas and theaters to temporarily shut their doors. However, hotels, restaurants and shops at Macau’s integrated resorts will remain open.
Despite such extreme measures, Ho emphasized that a total closure of all borders would not happen in Macau. Hong Kong earlier this week announced the closure of multiple ferry ports operating between Hong Kong and Macau, although the Hong Kong International Airport terminal remains operations, as do bus services via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wei Long, did not take the financial impact on the city’s casino operators into account when proposing 15-day closure but insisted gaming revenues would recover and that public safety should be prioritized.
This is the only time Macau’s casinos have been universally closed for such a long period and the first of any kind since Typhoon “Mangkhut” saw all casinos closed for 33 hours in September 2018. Analysts estimated revenue of around US$182 million was lost during that short closure.
