Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19  death toll has increased  to 89 following  five new deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, ending 12 midday, Saturday 17 April, while 223 new cases were also recorded in the same period, raising the country’s total to 9, 738

Three deaths were reported   in the National Capital District, of which two were males,  ages 67 and 47  years old and   a 68 year old woman, while  East Sepik recorded two deaths in two males,  ages 53 and 49 years.

Commissioner of Police and Controller of the National Pandemic Response, David Manning said, to date, NCD has recorded 60 deaths, Eastern Highlands six, Jiwaka five, Morobe, West New Britain and West Sepik three each, New Ireland, Western Highlands, East Sepik and Western province two each and Enga recorded a single death.

Meanwhile, 223 new cases  were    reported in 12 provinces, including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB), increasing respective provincial  total  confirmed  cases:  they include, NCD, (143), with total cases of 4071; Central (7), 147; Gulf (11), 27; Western (1), 2301; Madang, (16), 114; East Sepik, (7), 108; Eastern Highlands, (3), 465; Western Highlands, (4), 351; Southern Highlands, (1), 87;  Enga, (6), 96; Hela (2), 35; and AROB (12), 170 cases.

Statistics for   the other  10 provinces in the same period are as follows: Milne Bay- 52; Northern (Oro) -3; Morobe – 420;  West Sepik -356; Chimbu (Simbu) – 112; Jiwaka -79; Manus -15; East New Britain – 367; West New Britain -277; and New Ireland -90.

The cumulative figures  have  now increased the country’s total COVID-19 cases to 9,738. In the last 24 hours. Mr Manning also confirmed global  total confirmed cases of COVID-19  at  138,688,383,  including 804,807 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The global death toll is 2,978,935.

To sum up PNG’s   figures, Mr Manning said, the total number of COVID-19 cases in country  is 9,738 with 89 known deaths, while all  22 provinces, including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) have all  reported cases as shown in the table below:

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