Macao City, Jun 20 (IANS): Public sectors across Macao, except those providing emergency or essential services, will suspend operations on Monday and Tuesday after 31 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases were reported amid an ongoing spike.

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre of Macao said the patients comprised 21 females and 10 males, aged between eight months and 89 years, reports Xinhua news agency.

Eight of them had developed symptoms, while 23 others were asymptomatic, it added.

On Sunday, the Macao government had already closed public venues, including schools, parks, museums and sports facilities in an effort to reduce crowd gathering.

It urged all residents to stay at home, while all businesses, except for supermarkets and grocery stores, were asked to remain closed until further notice, and all restaurants suspended dine-in services.

The source of the infections however, remains undetected.

Those leaving Macao for neighbouring Zhuhai city in China's Guangdong province are required to present negative nucleic acid test reports effective within 24 hours instead of the previous seven days.