Macao to shutter casinos for a week in COVID-19 outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — The Asian gambling center of Macao will close all its casinos for a week starting Monday. It will also largely restrict people to their homes as it tries to stop a COVID-19 outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people in the past three weeks. All businesses have been ordered to shut except for supermarkets and others providing essential services. Residents must stay home unless they need to go out, such as for groceries or to work in a sector deemed essential. Macao’s economy is heavily dependent on its casinos and related businesses, which have been hit hard by the pandemic. Revenue from gambling recovered somewhat last year but is still far below pre-pandemic levels.