The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Ao Ieong U, said it was still not possible to confirm the cause of infection of an employee working at a quarantine hotel, who recently tested ‘positive’ for COVID-19.

There was no significant problem identified regarding the England Marina Club Hotel’s infection-prevention mechanisms and measures, Ms Ao Ieong told reporters on Friday (19 August).

An employee at England Marina Club Hotel, a 47-year-old male non-resident worker, was confirmed with COVID-19 infection on Thursday (18 August). He was responsible for distribution of catered food and for rubbish collection. It was evaluated that he might have been exposed to the virus either during rubbish collection or when taking off protective gear.

The Secretary affirmed the infection-prevention measures adopted at the hotel had been applied diligently. The hotel was for asymptomatic individuals confirmed with COVID-19 infection, therefore hotel staff might face relatively higher risk of infection compared to regular quarantine hotels.

The Government would provide more training to staff working at quarantine hotels and keep reminding them to practise stringent infection-prevention steps, said Ms Ao Ieong.

When speaking to reporters, the Secretary said there had recently been a great number of Macao residents returning from overseas. Macao had seen, in a single day, 10 arrivals test ‘positive’ for infection. The Conde S. Januário Hospital was not suitable for admitting COVID-19 patients; the Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane had only limited ward space. Therefore, it was necessary to use hotels equipped with suitable facilities and staffed with workers with some health and safety training, as quarantine venues to receive asymptomatic individuals, she explained.