MANILA, Philippines — An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Macau has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), making him the special administrative region’s 15th confirmed case.
In an advisory, Macau’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center announced that the patient is a 31-year-old Filipino who is employed in a restaurant located in a gaming facility.
The patient last reported for work on Jan. 26 and went on leave from then to March 15 to visit his family in the Philippines.
He returned to Macau on March 16 and was admitted to Kiang Wu Hospital a day after due to toothache, fever, and a rash.
He was at that time categorized as a person with a moderate risk of COVID-19 infection.
“He went back to his local residence after receiving some initial treatment and undergoing a COVID-19 diagnosis test. Test samples were examined at the Public Health Clinical Centre. This afternoon, the test showed positive for infection associated with the novel coronavirus,” the Macau government said.
The Filipino, along with four other COVID-19 patients, is now being kept in isolation for treatment at Conde S. Januário Hospital.
Meanwhile, a cleaning team has been deployed to disinfect public areas in the vicinity of the Filipino’s residence.
“Further details of the 15th patient’s travel history, and of those people that might be identified as having had close contact with him since his arrival in Macao, will be disclosed in a timely manner,” the Macau government said.
The virus, which was first detected in Hubei province in China late last year, causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.
To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular and proper hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoiding close contact with those who show respiratory distress symptoms.
Globally, COVID-19 has infected over 180,000 people in 159 countries and territories.