COVID-19: Macau announces shutdown of casinos and businesses for one week

The Chinese gambling capital, Macau, announced a weeklong shutdown of casinos and non-essential businesses as it battled its worst Covid outbreak so far. Andre Cheong, one of the top officials, said Macau will go under "static management" for a week starting July 11 and people are required to stay at home. Violators might face up to two years in prison. The city reported 71 new cases on Saturday (July 9), increasing the total infections reported since the beginning of the outbreak to 1,374, a low number by international standards but nevertheless high, reported AFP.

Casinos, which in normal times account for nearly 80 per cent of the government’s earnings, will now have to be closed. Some public services and places like pharmacies and supermarkets can remain open. Despite strict health regulations, the city’s casinos had survived a 15-day closure at the beginning of the pandemic.

More than 50 per cent of the city’s GDP and nearly one-fifth of the workforce are employed by the casinos, covering an area larger than Las Vegas.

Watch |China: World's biggest gambling hub Macau tests more for covid

However, this week, after discovering 13 diseases connected to the location, police closed one of Macau’s most renowned casinos, the Grand Lisboa, trapping more than 500 people inside.

Macau, the only city in China where casino gambling is legal, has seen one of the world’s strongest anti-virus measures, such as strict border controls, targeted lockdowns, and wiping out its essential tourism profits.

Residents of Macau may experience additional financial hardships as a result of an official’s declaration on Saturday (July 9) that employers are not required to pay employees during the Covid-related shutdown.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.