Monday 20 September 2021
Prime Minister Honourable James Marape has cautioned that there are possibilities of increases in Covid-19 cases across the country in traditional hot spots, as well as in areas where it was not dominant before.
He made the remarks during his press conference this morning before departing for the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“The dominance of the increase in Covid-19 cases in areas it was never present before, indicated there is a possible spike in the cases from recent public gatherings.”
Medical advisors and health experts are expected to convene with the National Control Centre to analyse the statistics.
The National Control Centre is also expected to issue appropriate instructions ater it collects statistics on Covid-19 cases from the provincial health authorities across the country.
“I am awaiting proper evidence in as far as statistics are concerned on where the influx is or where the search will take place.
“I’ am appealing to citizens in the country that Covid-19 is not a joke and we have lived with it for the past two years and people have contracted it through being in contact with those infected and are deceased or with people infected with Covid- 19.”
Prime Minister Marape stressed that the rate of recovery is above 90 – 95 percent, however, the margin of 5 percent will migrate to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and that is fatal .
“ If it is 5 percent of ten thousand, then we are looking at 500, or if it is 5 percent of twenty thousand, we are looking at a thousand , and at the moment hospitals around the country do not have enough space to cater for the possible outbreak.”
Mr Marape added, “the National Control Centre will look at numbers that are coming in from outside of Port Moresby and to have a clear picture on where the surges are taking place , and if there is a need for both clinical and non-clinical strategy, then the country will be informed.”
“There is evidence of the presence of Delta Variant already in the country. There is emerging evidence that it might be spreading across the country, and we are seeing deaths that are possibly related to Delta Variant, the strand of Covid- 19 , so it is a serious case we are in.”
Prime Minister Marape said if there was a surge in the Delta Variant, then the country would be advised in the coming days, for a national response.