Information of the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the population of Macao was estimated at 557,000 as at 30 September 2008, an increase of 25,000 from a year earlier.

In the third quarter of 2008, there were 1,221 live births, up by 11.7% quarter-to-quarter, with male babies accounting for 51.8%. The number of mortality cases was 405 and the major underlying cause of death was “Malignant Neoplasms” and “Diseases of the Circulatory System”. Meanwhile, 9 cases of fetal mortality were recorded.

The Health Bureau received 614 cases of Notifiable diseases in the third quarter, a decrease of 150 cases over the preceding quarter, including 156 cases of “Acute Norovirus Gastroenteropathy”, 111 cases of “Varicella (chickenpox)” and 91 cases of “Tuberculosis of Lung”. Besides, cases of “Hand, Foot and Mouth Diseases” dropped significantly from 302 in the last quarter to 53 cases.

In addition, 745 cases of marriage were registered, up slightly by 0.4% over the second quarter of 2008.

The number of legal immigrants from Mainland China totalled 621 in the third quarter of 2008, a decrease of 94 over the preceding quarter; meanwhile, 331 illegal immigrants were repatriated. The end-quarter balance of individuals authorized to reside in Macao went up by 1,700 over the second quarter of 2008 to 47,191.

The end-quarter balance of non-resident workers was 104,281, an increase of 5,776 over the second quarter of 2008.