Zhuhai, the mainland Chinese city bordering Macau, registered one new asymptomatic case of COVID-19 on Sunday, although it is believed no-one who had been in close contact with the patient had visited the SAR.
The latest patient is a person who returned from Ukraine and arrived in Guangzhou on 2 January. After completing 14 days of medical quarantine, the patient returned to Zhuhai for another 7 days of self-health management at home and tested positive on 23 January. The serum IgG antibody also showed positive, indicating that the patient had been infected by the coronavirus before they retested positive.
According to the health authority, the infectivity of retesting positive would be less than the first infection. All close contacts of the individual were subsequently tested and all returned negative results. None had been to Macau.
In response to the latest situation in Zhuhai, the Macau SAR government has urged everyone who has been Doumen district in Zhuhai between 16 and 23 January and shows symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty in breathing or lack of taste and smell to immediately report to the Macau and Zhuhai government. Zhuhai remains a low-risk area and Macau has not yet announced any need for arrivals who have been in Doumen district to quarantine.
However, quarantine will be required for anyone who has been to certain areas including the most popular and crowded scenic spots such as the Bund and Nanjing Road Walkway at Shanghai city.
Macau registered just its 47th case of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and first since June, last week after a passenger on a specially chartered plane from Tokyo carrying Macau residents back home tested positive. There have been no cases of community transmission since April 2020.
As of 24 January, Macau requires quarantine for anyone that has been to the following areas in the past 14 days:
Hebei Province: All of Shijiazhuang City, Nangong City and Longyao City of Xingtai city, the Gu’an County of Langfang City.
Beijing City: Dashanzhi Community in Jiuxianqiao Subdistrict of Chaoyang District, Nanfaxin Town, Gaoliying Town, Shengli Subdistrict, Nancai Town, Renhe Town, Beishicao Twon and Zhaoquanying Town of Shunyi District, Tiangongyuan Subdistrict of Daxing District.
Liaoning Province: All of Shenyang and Dalian City.
Heilongjiang Province: Suihua City, Aihui District of Heihe City, and Ang’angxi District of Qiqihar City, Xiangfang District, Daoli District, Limin Development Zone and Hulan District of Harbin City, Longfeng District of Daqing City.
Jilin Province: All of Tonghua city, Fanjiatun Town of Gongzhuling City, Eradao District and Luyuan District of Changchun city, Songyuan Economic and Technology Development District of Songyua City, Ningiang District.
Shanghai City: Waitan Sub-district and Nanjing East Road Sub-district of Huangpu District, area under the jurisdiction of Youyi Road Sub-district of Baoshan District.