Monday 26 October 2020
A team composed of laboratory and clinical management experts was deployed by the COVID-19 National Control Centre to the Eastern Highlands Province to support the health authorities to intensify preparedness for COVID-19.
Representatives from the National Department of Health (NDOH), Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) and the World Health Organization (WHO) visited the Eastern Highlands Provincial Hospital and discussed pre-triage system, patient pathway and isolation facilities for COVID-19 patients.
“The threat of COVID-19 remains in Papua New Guinea and we need to continue to scale up our preparedness in all provinces.
“Our teams of experts will continue to visit health facilities to identify gaps, and address areas of improvement,” Controller of the National Pandemic Response and Police Commissioner David Manning said.
While in Goroka, the team also visited the PNG Institute for Medical Research (IMR) to discuss laboratory testing for COVID-19 and how the NCC can further support the diagnostic services provided by IMR for the entire country.
Meanwhile, no COVID-19 case has been reported in the country in the last 48 hours. There have been 588 COVID-19 cases and seven COVID-19 deaths reported in Papua New Guinea.
To date, a total of 29,002 people have been tested for coronavirus. Additional 92 samples are pending laboratory results.
There have been 548 people who have recovered from COVID-19 whilst there are 33 active cases that are being isolated.
Fourteen provinces (including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) have confirmed COVID-19 cases:
| Provinces | Confirmed cases |
| NCD | 342 |
| Western Province | 203 |
| EHP | 12 |
| Central | 7 |
| West New Britain | 6 |
| Morobe | 5 |
| East Sepik | 3 |
| Milne Bay | 2 |
| East New Britain | 2 |
| Enga | 2 |
| West Sepik | 1 |
| New Ireland | 1 |
| Southern Highlands | 1 |
| Autonomous Region of Bougainville | 1 |
Globally, since the start of the outbreak, there have been a total 43,328,034 confirmed cases and the death toll stands at 1,159,009.
There was an increase of 404,793 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.
In the Western Pacific Region, a total of 12 countries/territories had confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases for the region to 711,745 cases and 15,217 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