Friday, 18 February 2022
Papua New Guinea’s daily count of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise as evident in the recent tally of 212 cases reported for Wednesday 16 February 2022, which increases the number of infections to 39,247.
Of the new cases, Western Highlands reported (73), National Capital District (56), Central (24), Hela (22), Autonomous Region of Bougainville (nine), Western (eight), West Sepik (six), Southern Highlands (five), Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka (three each) and Morobe, Enga and Chimbu (one each).
According to the latest update from the National Control Centre, the death toll remains at 628, with Delta Cases at 708 and one case of Omicron.
In the same period, a total of 37, 267 people have recovered from the virus, while the number of COVID-19 tests conducted so far has risen to 307,600.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Controller of the National Pandemic Response, Dr Esorom Daoni has expressed concern over the high positivity rate of transmission in some provinces.
In his weekly virtual press briefing yesterday (Thursday 17 February), Dr Daoni said provinces with, for example, 27 percent positivity rate as per his team’s risk assessment, indicated there is a lot more community transmission, and people are not coming forward for testing.
He added most of the Covid statistics from provinces are delayed by almost 14 to 30 days, which resulted in outdated figures in its latest updates.
In the recent NCC update of the 212 new cases, 16 were detected in the last 24 hours ending Wednesday 16 February, 2022, 156 were reported in the last six days, 30 were recorded 7- 14 days ago, and a further 10 were from 15 – 30 days ago.
Dr Daoni is appealing to the Provincial Health Authorities to do a lot more testing and submit reports on time, for tracking and planning purposes.
The cumulative summary of COVID-19 statistics for the 22 Provinces are: .
– NCD – 11037 cases, 10307 recoveries, 102 deaths, 200 delta cases
– Western – 3713 cases, 3589 recoveries, 33 deaths,43 delta cases;
– Western Highlands – 2854 cases, 2675 recoveries, 79 deaths, four delta cases;
– Morobe – 2515 cases,2447 recoveries, 50 deaths, 84 delta cases;
– East New Britain – 2287 cases, 2252 recoveries, 31 deaths, 28 delta cases;
– Eastern Highlands – 2262 cases, 2080 recoveries, 118 deaths, 22 delta cases, one Omicron case;
– Milne Bay – 1307 cases, 1218 recoveries, five deaths, three delta cases;
– Madang – 1278 cases, 1247 recoveries, 29 deaths, four delta cases;
– West New Britain – 1239 cases, 1232 recoveries, six deaths, 44 delta cases;
– Enga – 1073 cases, 1045 recoveries, seven deaths, four delta cases;
– Chimbu – 1061 cases, 1047 recoveries, 11 deaths, 14 delta cases;
– Southern Highlands – 1061 cases, 993 recoveries, 53 deaths, 43 delta cases;
– Central – 1060 cases, 981 recoveries, two deaths, 10 delta cases;
– Autonomous Region of Bougainville – 976 cases, 922 recoveries, 17 deaths,15 delta cases;
– New Ireland – 917 cases, 906 recoveries, 11 deaths, 34 delta cases;
– Hela – 851 cases, 766 recoveries, six deaths, 35 delta cases
– West Sepik – 846 cases, 765 recoveries, 13 deaths, 70 delta cases;
– East Sepik – 704 cases, 696 recoveries, eight deaths, 27 delta cases;
– Manus – 647 cases, 635 recoveries, 11 deaths, 11 delta cases;
– Gulf – 571 cases, 543 recoveries, 10 delta cases
– Northern – 533 cases, 527 recoveries, six deaths;
– Jiwaka – 455 cases, 394 recoveries, 30 deaths, three delta cases.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccination coverage update as of Tuesday 15 February has indicated an increase of 408, 063 doses administered, while the number of people with at least one dose is 303,170, and persons with double dose have risen to 242,362.
Types of vaccines used in country are, AstraZeneca of which 291,890 doses have been distributed, with 243179 doses administered, with balance of 47,230; Johnson & Johnson – 280,000 doses distributed while 144, 711 have been administered, balance is 73,043; Sinopharm – 45,576 doses distributed, 20,173 administered, with the balance of 9,385.
Dr Daoni is repeatedly calling on Papua New Guineans to get vaccinated.