In this March 5, 2019 photo, visitors take photos outside the Wynn casino resort with a view of the Grand Lisboa (top C) casino resort building in Macao. (ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
MACAO – China's Macao Special Administrative Region reported no new COVID-19 cases in the community on Thursday, according to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao on Friday.
A total of five people in Macao tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, with all of them detected while under quarantine, the center said.
Starting Saturday, industrial and commercial businesses in Macao could resume limited operation for a week
Starting Saturday, industrial and commercial businesses in Macao could resume limited operation for a week but have to follow epidemic control rules issued by the government, according to an instruction by Macao SAR Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng.
ALSO READ: Macao reports another virus case, launches 2nd mass testing
Businesses were asked to suspend operation starting July 11 to curb the spread of COVID-19, excluding essential businesses.
Ao Ieong-u, secretary for social affairs and culture of the Macao SAR government, said residents could gradually resume their normal lives in the coming week and that the government would consider further easing social restrictions if the epidemic remains under control during this period.
As of Thursday, a total of 1,800 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in the latest outbreak since June 19, with 697 of them having developed symptoms. As of Friday, six people had died after testing positive for the virus, the center said.
READ MORE: Macao logs 1st imported virus case of Omicron variant