Monday 14th December 2020
Controller of the National Pandemic Response, David Manning, has urged all citizens to get tested for Coronavirus to save themselves, their families and their communities.
The call by the Controller comes as PNG’s total number of positive cases reached 725 on Monday 14 December.
“Knowing one’s health status through testing can save lives as well as to help authorities know the extent of the outbreak of the pandemic in the country,” he said.
Mr Manning has also expressed concern that testing rates for COVID-19 in parts of the country have been critically low, and called on persons in-charge of the designated testing sites to do more to collect swab samples to send to the laboratories.
He says PNG may have more then the current 725 positive cases if more tests are done and the swab samples are reaching the laboratories on time, and further urged citizens to take the responsibilities to get tested, and also to encourage others to go for testing as well.
“Fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhea, headache and loss of taste and smell are among the symptoms of the virus. If citizens are experiencing any of these symptoms they must call into the nearest testing sites to get tested,” Mr Manning added.
Meanwhile, the country’s total positive cases stand at 725 with eight deaths.
Sixteen provinces including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) have reported cases. The distribution of the cases is as follows:
| Provinces | Cases |
| NCD | 361 |
| Western Province | 204 |
| West New Britain | 103 |
| Eastern H/lands | 13 |
| Central | 9 |
| Western H/lands | 9 |
| Morobe | 6 |
| East New Britain | 5 |
| East Sepik | 3 |
| Enga | 3 |
| Milne Bay | 2 |
| New Ireland | 2 |
| West Sepik | 2 |
| Southern H/lands | 1 |
| AROB | 1 |
| Hela Province | 1 |
| TOTAL | 725 |
Globally, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 has reached 70,461,926, including 649,425 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll is 1,599,704; of which 10,718 were reported in the last 24 hours.
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