Macau’s MGM Cotai casino locked down after new Covid-19 case as city puts residents through daily tests
- Macau requires all its residents to go through daily rapid antigen tests after detecting two new cases this month versus none in September
- A 43-year old worker at MGM Cotai casino resort tested positive with her two sons, after visiting a mall in Zhuhai, government says in statement
The closure deals yet another blow to casino operators in the world’s biggest gambling hub, who have already been grappling with movement restrictions for more than two and a half years. All the casinos in the hub were earlier shuttered for weeks from July to combat an outbreak.
Government health workers were at the MGM Cotai site with no one allowed to enter or exit the building, according to Inside Asian Gaming, an industry publication. It said guests inside the property have been told by workers that the lockdown may last for two days.
MGM did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
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Macau shuts down for mass testing after 31 people test positive for Covid-19
The closure comes after Macau detected its second coronavirus case this month, after having no cases for more than three months. The infections come just ahead of a planned resumption of inbound tours from mainland China visitors in November, after a pause of more than two and a half years.