Monday, 16 November 2020
A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the National Control Centre (NCC) is being deployed this week to Morobe Province to enhance provincial preparedness to respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
The NCC team currently in Morobe is composed of experts from the National Department of Health (NDOH), World Health Organization and UNICEF.
They will work with the provincial counterparts on clinical management, infection prevention and control, mental health, surveillance, laboratory, risk communication and the Niupela Pasin.
“As we progress with the pandemic response, we need to ensure that all provinces are on alert at all times for a possible surge of cases. Preparedness is key to protecting our people and saving lives,” said the COVID-19 National Pandemic Response Controller, Mr David Manning.
The NCC teams have already conducted supportive visits to the provinces of East New Britain, New Ireland, East Sepik and Western. Other provinces are scheduled in the coming week.
Meanwhile, there have been no new cases of COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours, leaving the country’s national total confirmed cases at 602. The death toll remains at seven.
Fifteen of the 22 provinces (including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) have confirmed COVID-19 cases:
| Provinces | Confirmed Cases |
| NCD | 347 |
| Western Province | 204 |
| Eastern Highlands | 13 |
| West New Britain | 11 |
| Central | 7 |
| Morobe | 5 |
| East Sepik | 3 |
| Milne Bay | 2 |
| East New Britain | 2 |
| Enga | 2 |
| New Ireland | 2 |
| West Sepik | 1 |
| Southern Highlands | 1 |
| AROB | 1 |
| Hela Province | 1 |
Globally, since the start of the outbreak, there have been 53,766,728 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,308,975 COVID-19 deaths reported to WHO.
There was an increase of 594,000 new cases and 8,212 new deaths in the last 24 hours.
In the Western Pacific Region, there has been a total of 798,170 confirmed cases, with 16,377 deaths.
Media contact: Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS
COVID-19 Media & Public Information Joint Agency Task Force
Mobile: 75430557email: ddkakas@gmail.com
Police email: ddkakas.policemedia@gmail.com
COVID-19 JATF email: ddkakas.covid19media@gmail.com