UPDATE ON PNG GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Government Press

Statement by Deputy Controller and Acting Secretary for the Department of Health,

Dr Paison Dakulala

Global Situation

Globally we have a total of 3,175,207 persons confirmed with the Coronavirus or COVID-19. This is an additional increase of 84,771 cases over the last 24 hours.

Our death toll from COVID-19 now stands at 224,172. This is an increase of 6,404 deaths within the last 24 hours as well.

Western Pacific Region

Within the same period the Western Pacific Region has seen a total number of 148,838 persons contracting the COVID-19 disease.

A total of 6,127 deaths were recorded. This is an increase of 33 new deaths within the last 24 hours.

The statistics for some of the countries around us further demonstrate the deadly impact of this disease:

  • Australia has 6,762 confirmed cases with 92 deaths;
  • Philippines has 8,488 confirmed cases with 568 deaths;
  • Singapore has 16,169 confirmed cases with 15 deaths;
  • New Zealand has 1,132 confirmed cases with 19 deaths;
  • Guam has 142 confirmed cases with 5 deaths;
  • French Polynesia has 58 confirmed cases with no deaths;
  • Fiji has 18 confirmed cases with no deaths; and
  • North Mariana Islands has 14  confirmed cases and 2 deaths.

Indonesia/West Papua Updates

Our closest neighbor Indonesia who we share the 760 kilometres land border has recorded a total of 10,118 confirmed cases and 792 deaths. It has also recorded that a total of 1,522 have recovered from the COVID-19 disease.

The virus has spread to all of the country’s 34 provinces. In West Papua alone, there are 210 confirmed cases, this is an increase of five infections in 24 hours.

Its death toll stands at 6 and recoveries at 48. Papua is one of the provinces with the highest recovery cases.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has eight confirmed cases, the last was on 22 April.

Surveillance and contact tracing is continuing in the country, including in strategic locals such as the border areas and provinces where we have cases.

Yesterday, 30 samples arrived in Port Moresby from Vanimo for testing.

During the week, the Rapid Diagnostic Tests begun in NCD and will go to the strategic locations which should tell us a bit more about the pandemic in the country.

Yesterday, we received GeneXpert cartridges from Australia to boost testing capacity at the provincial level.

All provinces have stepped up surveillance activities. For instance, in the New Guinea Islands, there is a lot of work happening on the provincial borders to check who is travelling between provinces.

A team of 4 sampling volunteers will be going to the West Sepik hinterland to Yapisi, Imonda, and Oksapmin.

These are just among many activities happening throughout the country.

The risk is not over. We keep saying it! The cases in countries all around us have not slowed down so we must continue to be on our guard.

Schools

This coming Monday, primary and high schools will resume. Classes for universities and tertiary education resumed on Monday, April 27.

I appeal to parents and teachers to keep reminding the children to adhere to the following public health measures:

  • When coughing, cough into your elbow;
  • Wash your hands all the time;
  • Practice social or physical distancing; and
  • Avoid crowds.

For media contact: Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS
Team Leader – COVID-19 Media & Public Information Joint Agency Task Force
Mobile: 75430557: Email: ddkakas@gmail.com

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