The Government has set up a “Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre” to oversee Macao’s overall response effort regarding the viral pneumonia outbreak reported from Wuhan, Hebei Province.

The new body is also responsible for coordinating public and private entities in either the prevention, control or treatment – as necessary – of any infection that might occur in Macao linked to the newly-identified coronavirus found in the outbreak stemming from Wuhan.

The Centre has been created today under an Executive Order and is directly under the supervision of the Chief Executive. The announcement of the Centre’s establishment was made during a press conference in the afternoon. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Ao Ieong U, who is the Centre’s vice chairperson, gave the information at the press conference.

The setting up of the Centre is to advance the Government’s overall preparedness in relation to this public health matter. There is so far no case in Macao of anyone getting sick from the virus. As such, members of the public in Macao have no cause for alarm.

Meanwhile, the Centre will issue the latest information in a timely manner. Members of the public are advised to ignore unsubstantiated rumours and not to pass them on to others.

The Centre will adapt its strategies – as circumstances require – regarding the prevention, or if necessary, the control of the spread of the coronavirus. The Centre will operate 24 hours per day. Its telephone hotline is 2870 0800.

During the period from 5pm on 19 January (Sunday) to 5pm on 20 January (Monday), there were no reports of any Macao people returning from recent trips to Wuhan and simultaneously complaining of illness.

Since 1 January, the Government had been informed by local medical institutions about a total of 13 illness cases, each involving a patient with fever and respiratory problems, and that had been in Wuhan in the previous 14 days. Tests had shown none of the 13 patients had the Wuhan pneumonia virus.