MACAO -- Industrial and commercial businesses in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) are asked to suspend operation for a week starting Monday, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to an instruction by Macao SAR Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng on Saturday.

Businesses keeping the society going or offering daily necessities to residents will not be affected, according to the instruction.

Macao reported 24 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 47 asymptomatic cases on Friday, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao said on Saturday.

As of Friday, a total of 1,374 people had tested positive for COVID-19 during the latest round of outbreak since June 19, among whom 505 had developed symptoms, the center said.