Macau uses two more casino hotels for COVID medical facilities
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[July 08, 2022]
By Farah Master
HONG KONG (Reuters) -Macau authorities have
added two hotels in popular casino resorts to be used as COVID-19
medical facilities from Friday as they try to increase capacity to
handle a surge of infections in the world's biggest gambling hub.
The east wing of Grand Lisboa Palace owned by SJM Holdings and the Grand
Hyatt hotel owned by Melco Resorts will together provide close to 800
rooms, they said.
Sands China's Sheraton hotel and Londoner resort have already been used
as quarantine facilities.
The announcement comes as Macau reported 88 new cases on Friday, taking
the total to 1,303 cases since mid-June. More than 17,000 people are in
quarantine, according to authorities.
Authorities have locked down 22 residential buildings across Macau as
they carry out a sixth round of city-wide mass testing for all
residents.
Sealed buildings include the landmark Grand Lisboa hotel on Macau's
bustling main peninsula. More than 500 people were locked inside the
hotel for at least five days from Tuesday after infected cases were
found there.
The former Portuguese colony only has one public hospital for its more
than 600,000 residents, and its medical system was already stretched
prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
Authorities have set up a makeshift hospital in a sports dome near the
city's Las Vegas style Cotai strip and have around 600 medical workers
from the mainland assisting them.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Jul/08/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif)
More than 90% of Macau's residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19
but this is the first time the city is grappling with the fast-spreading
Omicron coronavirus variant.
Macau adheres to China's "zero-COVID" policy that aims to curb all
outbreaks at almost any price, running counter to a global trend of
trying to co-exist with the virus.
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![](../images/070822PIX/health5.jpg)
People queue for the mass coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing
near the Ruins of Saint Paul's in Macau, China June 20, 2022.
REUTERS/John Mak
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Jul/08/images/ads/current/graue_22SILVERADO_061822.png) While the government has not imposed
the type of citywide lockdown seen in mainland Chinese cities, Macau
is effectively closed with most facilities shut. Residents have been
asked to stay home, public transport is curtailed and restaurants
are only providing takeaway.
LOCKDOWN RUMOURS
Residents thronged to food markets and grocery stores on Thursday,
spooked that the city would be fully locked down. The government
denied the rumours and urged the public not to panic and hoard food,
according to local broadcaster TDM.
Neighbouring global financial hub Hong Kong went through similar
chaos after lockdown rumours repeatedly surfaced. Authorities there
never imposed a full lockdown and have begun to ease COVID
restrictions even as cases hit around 3,000 daily.
Frustration is mounting amongst residents at the government's
handling of the outbreak. Some residents have had to queue for more
than 20 hours to access healthcare facilities, and many are
desperate to go back to work again.
"There is so much anger in the community," said one casino executive
who declined to be named due to company policy.
Casinos are allowed to stay open to protect jobs, but executives
said it didn't make sense to have staff on hand despite the lack of
business.
The gaming industry accounts for more than 80% of government revenue
with most people employed directly or indirectly by the casino
resorts.
(Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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