Macao authorities will consider temporarily closing casinos in the region. This was called for by the head of the special administrative region, He Yicheng. The reason was the risk of the Chinese coronavirus spreading in the gambling zone.

The decision to close gambling establishments is being considered due to the risk of spreading the disease in crowded places. Macau casinos attract a huge number of guests at any time of the year, and during the Chinese New Year celebrations at the end of January, the flow of tourists to the gambling zone only increases. Currently, the region has already canceled public events that traditionally take place on this holiday.

“When acute respiratory syndrome spread in Macau 17 years ago, we were lucky enough to record only one case of the disease. But now the spread of the virus has coincided with the peak of domestic travel in honor of the Chinese New Year. This flow of tourists can bring disease to every province of China,” said Yicheng.

Macau is a special territory within the People’s Republic of China, which has held the title of gambling capital of the world in recent years. The Special Administrative Region is known for its casinos, nightclubs, concert venues, hotels and other recreation and entertainment facilities for tourists in the region. Gambling has contributed over 70% of Macau's budget since 2010.

According to official statistics from the Macau State Tourism Administration, more than 39.4 million people visited the region in 2019, averaging over 3 million people per year. month. The largest part of the guests (36.3 million tourists) are Chinese citizens.

An outbreak of an unknown coronavirus began in China in December 2019. As of January 25, 2020, there are more than 870 infected people in the country, more than 40 of them have died. To contain the spread of the virus, the authorities have introduced quarantine in 13 cities. Cases have also been reported in Thailand, Japan, the United States and South Korea.