Streets in the gambling hub of Macau were empty on Monday after casinos and most other businesses were ordered to close as the Chinese territory near Hong Kong battles the coronavirus outbreak. Residents were told to stay indoors unless buying food or other essentials. The authorities warned that anyone breaking the rules would be punished. Casinos were ordered over the weekend to close for at least a week as the number of coronavirus cases rose to around 700,000. On Monday, the government reported 59 new cases, bringing the total in the latest outbreak to 1,526. Macau and Hong Kong are emulating the mainland’s “zero COVID” strategy which aims to isolate every infected person. The public is forced to register for cards to ride buses and other public transport, which are running at reduced capacity, said a resident who asked to be identified only by his surname, Kong. “I think this measure is not necessary because it will increase the suffering,” Kong said. Casino gambling is the mainstay of Macau’s economy, but it has been decimated by virus travel restrictions. This week’s order marks the first time since early 2020 at the start of the pandemic that casinos have been permanently closed, reflecting the official urgency to contain the latest outbreak. The restrictions imposed in June limited their workforce to 10% of normal levels. The government says it plans to test everyone in the city for the virus next week. Bus drivers, food delivery people and some others said they were being checked daily. —— Associated Press news contributor Karmen Li in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
