HONG KONG - Macau authorities said on Thursday they will relax COVID-19 test requirements for arrivals from mainland China.

The loosening move comes one day after Chinese authorities relaxed key elements of COVID-19 lockdown measures in mainland China.

Authorities in the gambling hub told reporters that those entering Macau from the adjoining Chinese city of Zhuhai would now only be required to display a 24-hour COVID-19 negative result.

Macau authorities added in a press conference that they forecast 50-80 percent of the local population could eventually be infected with COVID.

(Reporting by Jessie Pang and Twinnie Siu; Editing by James Pomfret)