Manning calls for increased COVID-19 testing in Eastern Highlands

Sunday 18 October 2020

National Pandemic Response Controller, Mr David Manning, has  called  on   residents of Eastern Highlands Province (EHP) to get tested for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) if they have fever, cough, sore throat, headache or difficulty breathing.

“Eastern Highlands Province has just completed the by-election and people may have been exposed to the virus during the campaign period leading up to the election.

“There was overcrowding and physical distancing protocols may have been compromised during election-related activities. I am therefore calling on all residents to get tested as soon as they have the symptoms,” Mr Manning said.

Mr Manning’s call  comes at a time when EHP has recorded 12 COVID-19 cases.

“Come forward and get tested if you love your family, your community and your country.”

The EHP, being connected to other highlands provinces by a road network, presents a great threat for the many highlands’ provinces if the virus is not contained at the earliest.

Mr Manning says although no new COVID-19 case was reported in the last 24 hours in the country, citizens must remain vigilant of the threat of coronavirus.

“To date, PNG has 581 confirmed COVID-19 cases. There have been 27,003 people who have been tested for coronavirus. Additional 169 samples are pending laboratory results.

“There are 541 people who have recovered from COVID-19 while there are 33 active cases that are being isolated. The country’s death from COVID-19 remains at seven.”

There are 14 provinces in the country that have confirmed COVID-19 cases:

 

Provinces Confirmed cases
NCD 337
Western Province 202
EHP 12
Central 7
Morobe 5
West New Britain 5
East Sepik 3
Milne Bay 2
East New Britain 2
Enga 2
West Sepik 1
New Ireland 1
Southern Highlands 1
Autonomous Bougainville Region 1

Globally, since the start of the outbreak, there have been a total 39,930,449 confirmed cases and the death toll stands at 1,114,126.

There was an increase of 364,004 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.

In the Western Pacific region, a total of 11 countries/territories had confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases for the region to 680,716 cases and 14,719 deaths.

 

Media contact: Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS
COVID-19 Media & Public Information Joint Agency Task Force
Mobile: 75430557 email: ddkakas@gmail.com
Police email:                     ddkakas.policemedia@gmail.com
COVID-19 JATF email:     ddkakas.covid19media@gmail.com

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