Macau extends coronavirus lockdown to next Friday, gives hard-hit businesses fresh round of financial aid
- Extension of anti-epidemic curbs in casino hub comes as week-long lockdown was set to expire on Sunday
- Authorities in Macau provide second round of 10 billion patacas to hard-hit businesses and employees
Macau has extended its citywide lockdown until July 22 in a bid to contain a recent coronavirus surge, with the government also providing an additional 10 billion patacas (HK$9.7 billion) in handouts to struggling businesses.
Authorities in the casino hub announced on Saturday that non-essential businesses would need to remain closed until next Friday. The lockdown was previously set to expire on Sunday.
Residents have been told to stay home unless they need to buy emergency supplies, with anyone venturing outside required to wear approved facial coverings, such as KN95 or N95 masks.
According to officials, Macau made progress in containing the spread of the virus with its lockdown this week, but needed to extend it under the national “dynamic-zero” Covid-19 strategy that aimed to cut off transmission links once identified.
The city on Saturday announced 31 local cases, taking its overall total to 2,030.
Lawmakers and residents alike expressed frustration over the extension of the lockdown.
“I feel very frustrated … from when the outbreak started on June 18, it has been almost one month. Everybody has been finding it hard to keep going,” said legislator Ron Lam U-tou.
