Thursday 23 December 2021

A total of 36,080 cases of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19)  have been confirmed since the outbreak of the infections in Papua New Guinea.

In his weekly virtual media briefing today, Deputy Controller of the National Pandemic Response, Dr Esorom Daoni, provided a summary of the  COVID-19 statistics in country,  as well as  globally.

In the last 24 hours ending Tuesday 21 December 2021, five new cases were reported in East New Britain (two), Northern (two), and Western Highlands (one), with no  new deaths recorded.

Dr Daoni added, the  total recovered cases  stand at 35,336,  while there have been  589 deaths and 627 Delta cases.

The  newly diagnosed cases in the last 14 days is 155, whilst  the total  number of Covid-19 tests conducted so far  is 270,020.

Dr Daoni is concerned  over the low rate of testing in the country and urged  more people to get tested to  prevent transmission.

The Antigen Rapid Test Kits  will be rolled out soon, while the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is currently in use for testing.

Meanwhile, Dr Daoni said a decision on the booster dose is likely to be finalised soon.

The extra dose  can be administered using either AstraZeneca  or  Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

Dr Daoni however said, Papua New Guinea is far from reaching its target of 1,869,279 in 2021.

There have been only 382,228 vaccine doses administered so far,  and of that, a total of 285,403 (or 15.3 percent) persons had received   at least one dose, while 222,388 (11.9 percent)  were fully vaccinated.

 The three  vaccines that are available in country  are,  AstraZeneca  of which (380,160) have been  distributed while  (237,604) have been administered, with the remaining  balance of  (52,450); Johnson & Johnson  (doses distributed 272,250), (125,563 administered), remaining balance  (46,808); Sinopharm (doses distributed 45,576) (19,061 administered), balance ( 11,235).

In the meantime , a summary  of the  COVID-19 statistics in the 22 provinces  is  shown below:

–  NCD – 9363 cases, 9200 recoveries, 102 deaths, 196 delta cases

– Western  – 3610 cases, 3577 recoveries, 33 deaths,43 delta cases;

– Western Highlands  – 2724 cases, 2636 recoveries, 79 deaths, four delta cases;

– Morobe  – 2491 cases,2442 recoveries, 47 deaths, 79 delta cases;

– East New Britain – 2196 cases, 2152 recoveries, 27 deaths, 28 delta cases;

– Eastern Highlands – 2156 cases, 2065 recoveries, 90 deaths, 22 delta cases;

– Madang – 1267 cases, 1236 recoveries, 29 deaths, four delta cases;

– West New Britain  – 1227 cases, 1221 recoveries, six deaths, 32 delta cases;

– Milne Bay – 1213 cases, 1207 recoveries, five deaths, three delta cases;

– Chimbu – 1058 cases, 1047 recoveries, 11 deaths, 14 delta cases;

– Enga – 1048 cases, 1039 recoveries, seven deaths, four delta cases;

– Southern Highlands – 1039 cases, 984 recoveries, 53 deaths, 28 delta cases;

–  Autonomous Region of Bougainville – 912 cases, 881 recoveries, 17 deaths,15  delta cases;

–  Central  – 823 cases, 815 recoveries, two deaths, seven delta cases;

– New Ireland  – 817 cases, 785 recoveries, 11 deaths, 11 delta cases;

– West Sepik  – 775 cases, 761 recoveries, 13 deaths, 67 delta cases;

– Hela –  761 cases, 748 recoveries, six deaths, 31 delta cases;

– East Sepik  – 688 cases, 680 recoveries, eight deaths, 16 delta cases;

– Manus –  638 cases, 627 recoveries, 11 deaths, 11 delta cases;

– Gulf – 476 cases, 476 recoveries, 10 delta cases;

– Jiwaka  – 421 cases, 392 recoveries, 29 deaths, two delta cases;

– Northern  – 377 cases, 365 recoveries, three deaths.

Dr Daoni added that ,globally, there are 277,420,103 confirmed  cases of Covid-19 , including 5,392,085 deaths., while in the Western Pacific which includes Papua New Guinea, the total number of cases since the outbreak is 10,944,618 with 152,324 confirmed deaths.