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A Macao woman who returned from the United States of America with mild influenza is not carrying the Influenza A (H1N1) and has been discharged from hospital, the Health Bureau announced this evening. The 25-year-old woman, who returned from California via Taipei and Hong Kong, had developed slight influenza symptoms but no fever. She went to Kiang Wu Hospital and was transferred to Hospital Conde S. Januário for further diagnosis. After tests, she was ruled out from carrying influenza A (H1N1) virus and was discharged. The Ministry of Health of the Central Government notified Macao that a Macao male resident took the same flight from Shanghai to Guangdong with a Mexican who was later confirmed as carrying influenza A (H1N1) virus. The Macao resident, aged 45, had not entered Macao, according to immigration records. The Health Bureau is trying to locate him to follow up on his health condition. The Department Health of Hong Kong notified of Macao that no Macao resident sat close to the Mexican confirmed with the virus on the flight. Three Macao women who stayed at the Metropark Hotel, where Hong Kong's first confirmed case stayed, were sent to Lady MacLehose Holiday Village for quarantine for seven days. The Health Bureau would follow up on their situation and provide necessary assistance. To date there is no probable or confirmed human case of influenza A (H1N1) in Macao.
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The Department of Health of Hong Kong has notified the Health Bureau of Macao of a confirmed case of influenza A (H1N1) in Hong Kong today. Macao health authorities decided that all visitors entering Macao from Border Gate Checkpoint and Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal are required to declare their health situation from 12 noon tomorrow. It was announced yesterday that Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Macau International Airport would begin the health declaration measures today. The Health Bureau said visitors coming from Mexico are required to go through a thorough health check upon their arrival. People returned from Mexico, the United States and affect places are urged to pay special attention to their health. Should they present with fever, cough, sore throat, they must seek medical attention at Hospital Conde S. Januário and Kiang Wu Hospital immediately. The Health Bureau would continue to keep close contact with the health authorities of the Mainland and Hong Kong. To date there was no probable or confirmed human case of swine influenza A (H1N1) in Macao.
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The Government plans to raise the excise duty for cigarettes by 300 per cent, from the present 0.05 pataca per stick to 0.20 pataca per stick. Spokesperson for the Executive Council, Mr Tong Chi Kin, said today the Executive Council had discussed a draft-law on revising excise duty, which would raise excise duty for each kilogramme of tobacco from 20 patacas to 80 patacas and each kilogramme of cigar from 70 patacas to 280 patacas. The hikes will come into effect should the Legislative Assembly passes the draft-law, which it would discuss it in an urgent procedure, said Mr Tong. He said the excise duty for tobacco has remained at the current level for quite a long period and it was much lower than that of the neighbouring regions. With growing concerns of the hazards of smoking, the local community had urged the authorities to control the number of smokers and raise the excise duty, Mr Tong said.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said today the Government would do its utmost in the fight against influenza A (H1N1) and protect the people of Macao. Mr Ho said this when he attended a reception for the celebration of the Labour Day. Speaking on the employment situation in Macao, Mr Ho said the Government would continue to introduce public construction projects, set up social enterprises and co-operate with the business sector in order to produce more jobs. The Government would push forward the legislation on more severe punishment for illegal workers and their employers by taking the related provisions out of the Imported Labour Law for a speedy legislation. Mr Ho said the Government would continue to crack down on illegal workers and their employers to protect the job opportunities for local workers.
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Macao decided to raise its alert to pandemic from level III to level IV tomorrow to better prepare for the possible outbreak of swine influenza. The World Health Organization raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5 yesterday due to the development of the pandemic. The Chairman of Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, said Macao would step up its preventive measures to fight against the influenza. These included activating the separation of outpatients with fever or respiratory diseases at hospitals, requiring all visitors entering from Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Macau International Airport to declare their health situation, and restricting staff of health departments from applying for holidays. Mr Chui visited an infectious disease rehabilitation centre, three major immigration terminals and the Hospital Conde S. Januário to inspect Macao’s facilities and equipment in preventing the disease. He said Macao would continue to follow the instructions of the World Health Organization and attach its greatest efforts in the combat against the disease.
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The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP134.3 billion (USD16.83 billion) at the end of March 2009. The reserves rose by 2.1% from the revised value of MOP131.6 billion (USD16.48 billion) for the previous month. When compared with the same period last year, the reserves increased by MOP19.4 billion or 16.9%. Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves at end-March 2009 represented 29 times the currency in circulation or 241.5% of Pataca M2 at end-February 2009. The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the pataca, a gauge of the domestic currency’s exchange rates against the currencies of Macao’s major trading partners, rose slightly by 0.01 point month-to-month and 5.79 points year-on-year to 93.26 in March 2009. For enquiry, please contact: Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao (Tel: 83952532; Fax: 28353042)
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers was MOP542 in the first quarter of 2009, up by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers rose by 1.5% to MOP557, of which structural iron erectors (MOP707), plant operators (MOP667) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP643) were earning higher average wages; meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers (MOP344) registered a decrease of 3.9%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers for the first quarter of 2009 was 96.8 in real terms, up slightly by 1.0% over the previous quarter. As regards construction materials, the average price of spiral and round reinforcing steel bars continued its downward trend from the last quarter, falling sharply by 15.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP5,127 per tonne, and that of concrete declined slightly by 0.6% to MOP317 per cubic metre; however, the average price of cement registered an increase of 4.2%, at MOP651 per tonne. In the first quarter of 2009, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings dropped further by 8.9% quarter-to-quarter to 127.2. Compared with the same quarter of 2008, the price index registered a decrease of 10.8%, owing to a 20.1% and 29.8% plunge in the price indices of steel and electric wires; besides, the price indices of aluminium and concrete went down by 12.4% and 3.6% respectively.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of total exports of goods amounted to MOP642 million in March 2009, down significantly by 51.9% year-on-year, with the value of domestic exports decreasing by 63.9% to MOP277 million and that of re-exports dropping by 35.8% to MOP366 million. The value of total imports of goods amounted to MOP2.73 billion, down by 28.0% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.09 billion was recorded for March 2009. From January to March 2009, total exports of goods fell by 49.2% year-on-year to MOP2.03 billion, with the value of domestic exports and re-exports declining by 63.5% and 24.0% respectively. Meanwhile, total imports of goods slid by 20.9% to MOP8.21 billion, and the trade deficit for the first three months of 2009 narrowed by 3.2% to MOP6.18 billion. The exports/imports ratio went down by 13.8 percentage points year-on-year to 24.7%. Analysed by the destinations of Macao’s exports, in the first three months of 2009, the value of merchandise exports to the USA, the EU and Mainland China decreased by 70.5%, 61.1% and 35.6% respectively year-on-year. The value of Textile & garment exports declined by 64.0% year-on-year to account for 42.1% of the total exports of goods; meanwhile, the value of Non-textile exports dropped by 27.6%, with exports of Articles of copper falling by 65.8%, but exports of Jewellery rising by 17.6%. Regarding the country of origin of imported goods, the value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong dropped by 42.8% and 12.7% respectively year-on-year. The value of imports of all broad economic categories registered year-on-year decreases, of which Raw materials & semi-manufactures dropped by 41.9% and Fuels & lubricants fell by 28.9%; meanwhile, the value of imports of Consumer goods recorded a slower decrease of 6.7%, with that of Food and beverages rising by 10.2%.
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Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah today attended a briefing by the Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group, on Macao’s preventive measures against swine influenza and the evolution of the pandemic. The briefing was conducted by the group’s chairman, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On. During the three-day Labour Day holidays starting tomorrow, the Health Bureau would continue to step up surveillance at all immigration checkpoints. Government health care centres would provide some services during the holidays. Macao would maintain close contact with the World Health Organization, Ministry of Health of the Central Government, and health departments of the neighbouring regions. Based on all available information, the Government deemed that the threat of swine flu exceeded than that of SARS in 2003 in terms of the numbers of infected people and death caused and the speed, scope and mode of the spreading of the virus. Several camping centres, youth centres and youth hostels under the supervision of government departments will be used as quarantine camps when needed. The Social Welfare Bureau has notified all social welfare institutions to implement all necessary preventive measures and store adequate resources. Staff of kindergartens and institutions that provide accommodation have been instructed to check the temperature of people entering their premises. Visitors and staff are also required to register when entering. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau had also issued guidelines to all schools implement preventive measures, such as taking the temperature of students every morning and activating emergency task force when needed. Overseas students from Macao are urged to take note of the latest developments. The Health Bureau would organise talks for medical professionals in the next few days. In accordance with the contagious disease prevention law, the Influenza Pandemic Prevention Coordination Group could, with the approval of the Chief Executive, direct all public and private entities to adopt measures to prevent and control the disease. Meanwhile, three visitors from Mexico who arrived in Macao today to visit their family were tested negative for the flu. The Health Bureau would follow up on their health situation daily. To date there was no probable or confirmed human case of swine influenza A (H1N1) in Macao. A round-the-clock hotline of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at 853-28561122, has been set up for enquiries about swine influenza.
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Macau Government Tourist Office is putting full effort to prepare for the arrival of visitors to Macau during May 1 Labor Day holiday and will advise the travelers to take appropriate precautions. In light of outbreaks of swine influenza A (H1N1) in a number of countries, MGTO urges the travel trade to be vigilant in guarding against the risk of swine flu and remind the employees to keep personal hygiene and take necessary precautions at workplace. MGTO will cooperate with other departments to take precautionary measures and alert visitors to maintain good personal hygiene and consult doctor for any flu symptoms. Local mobile telecommunications service providers has sent out SMS alert to Macau residents (with roaming service) traveling to countries/regions affected by swine flu since April 26 and visitors entering Macau since April 28 to be attentive to the latest news on swine flu, to take all necessary precautions and consult doctor for symptoms of respiratory infection. If necessary, please call the Health Department on +853-28561122 or Tourism Crisis Management Office/MGTO hotline 28333000. SMS alert and updates on swine flu will operate till May 5. MGTO will continue to maintain close contact with the travel trade to collect information on travelers for necessary precautions. To provide more information to the residents and visitors, the website of Crisis Management Office (http://www.ggct.gov.mo) will strengthen connections with related websites. MGTO has also requested its 17 representatives around the world to report the latest development in these source markets. As May 1 Labor Day holiday is drawing near, MGTO has sent out advices to hotels, restaurants, bar and similar establishments on food safety, service quality, fire safety, sanitation standard and code of practice on catering industry. The travel trade is also reminded to abide by regulations to secure the traveling rights of Macau residents. MGTO will strengthen inspection at tourist attractions and checkpoints during Labor Day holiday. Information counters and tourism hotline will operate as usual.
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