Macau Extends Suspension Of Non-essential Business

Macau authorities said non-essential businesses will be suspended for five more days until 12am Saturday.

Officials also said three more rounds of citywide PCR testing will be conducted next week, and people also need to do rapid tests every day.

The gambling hub has been only allowing services and certain businesses, such as supermarkets, to remain open amid continuing Covid cases in the past week.

"The measure has been in place for six days since it took effect on Monday, and people have been very cooperative," Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng-chon told a press briefing.

"The measure has been effective. On the one hand it greatly reduces the movement of people in the community, and on the other hand we've seen that in recent days the number of positive cases and cases found in the community has fallen."

Macau saw 31 new Covid cases on Friday, bringing the tally from the current coronavirus wave to 1,706.

Officials said the government has earmarked an extra MOP$10 billion for anti-epidemic and relief measures, after considering Covid's impact on the city's economy and livelihood.