Macao sees 30-pct drop in entries, exits due to tightened border control over COVID-19

MACAO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) registered around 253,400 entries and exits at the customs on Tuesday, the first day since the SAR tightened border control with neighboring Guangdong Province due to the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Guangdong.

The figure was about 30.3 percent lower than that for Monday, the Public Security Police Force said on Wednesday.

Statistics showed Macao recorded around 129,100 entries, including 41,400 Macao residents and 15,300 visitors, and 124,200 exits, including 38,900 Macao residents and 15,700 visitors.

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao said on Monday that starting 10 a.m. Tuesday, all those crossing the boundary between Macao and Guangdong have to present negative nucleic acid test reports effective within 48 hours instead of the previous seven days.

Visitors entering Macao via the airport will still be required to present a report effective within seven days.

As of Wednesday, no locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases had been reported in Macao for over 400 days consecutively.