Dead: 42 Papua New Guineans, including a two-month-old baby

 News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Dead: 42 Papua New Guineans, including a two-month-old baby

PORT MORESBY: Forty-two people, including a two-month-old baby, died from Coronavirus (Covid-19), in four weeks in Eastern Highlands.

Governor Peter Numu said the public health situation in the province was “scary”. Healthy people with no underlying (health) issues are collapsing,” he lamented.

“It reminds me of what some doctors said that people will be dying like flies,” he added.

And Covid-19 curfew has been enforced in Goroka and Kainantu.

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below several news updates by The National on Covid-19 in Papua New Guinea which is also under the threat of the highly infectious Delta variant:

EHP situation ‘scary’

October 12, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA and ZACHERY PER
EASTERN Highlands Governor Peter Numu says the health situation in the province is “scary”, with 42 people, including a two-month-old, killed by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the past four weeks.
“Healthy people with no underlying issues are collapsing,” he said.
“The situation is scary.
“It reminds me of what some doctors said that people will be dying like flies.”
He told The National that calls he had been getting from ward councilors and presidents painted a grim picture of the Covid-19 situation in the rural areas.
Yesterday’s updated figures from Sept 9 to Oct 10 showed that 42 had died in the province from the Covid-19 including a two-month-old child.
New lockdown measures will be in force from tomorrow as the province of 700,000 people in eight districts scurry to protect themselves from the Covid-19.
Deputy director of curative health Tony Basse said the total admission was 215 at the Goroka hospital. “The youngest admission was a two-month-old baby and the oldest an 83 year old,” Basse said.
“From the 215, 111 have been discharged and 52 are currently admitted in the five isolation wards.”
There were 151 men.
Basse said one patient ran away.
Meanwhile the main streets of Goroka and Kainantu towns were empty yesterday as people began to observe the 5pm to 6am curfew hours.
Provincial Police Commander Supt Michael Welly said they were making sure than everyone complied with the lockdown restrictions.
“I appeal to every individual to cooperate in every way possible to eradicate the Covid-19 in the province,” he said.
Eastern Highlands provincial administrator/controller John Gimisive said for the next 14 days, the curfew would be from 2pm to 8am.
Gimisive said vehicles passing through the province should have access passes to be allowed through.
He said night clubs, gaming sites and liquor outlets must be closed during the curfew. 

Covid-19 curfew kicks in

October 12, 2021The NationalMain Stories

Before the curfew.

By ZACHERY PER and MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE main streets of Goroka and Kainantu towns in Eastern Highlands were deserted before 5pm yesterday as the daily curfew began as part of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown measures.
Businesses closed at 2pm allowing employees to be home before the curfew.
The curfew ends at 6am daily.
Only police vehicles were seen moving around.
Curfew passes can be obtained from the provincial police commander’s office.
Provincial Police Commander Supt Michael Welly said they would ensure that everyone observed the rules.
“Anyone found breaching the regulations will be arrested and charged under the new Pandemic Act, and dealt with accordingly,” he said. “There are people dying of the Delta variant and we have to take action to stop it.
“I appeal to every individual to cooperate and assist in any way possible to eradicate the Covid-19 in the province.”
Eastern Highlands provincial administrator/controller John Gimisive said students in grades 8, 10 and 12 would be allowed to attend classes but under strict conditions.
“All business operation must close by 2pm and employees sent off by 3pm at the latest,” he said.
Gimisive said vehicles passing through the province should have passes before being allowed to pass through.
“Very strict police checks are to be carried out at Kassam Pass (Morobe border) and Magiro (Chimbu border), while markets are to be closed,” he said.
Meanwhile, passengers travelling to Eastern Highlands must provide a vaccination card before arriving or departing the province.
Gimiseve said police would work with the provincial administration to enforce the measures.
“Police will enforce these orders. Failure to comply will be in breach of the Pandemic Act 2020 and may attract penalties accordingly, “he said. “These orders will be effective from Oct 13 and to be reviewed on Oct 27.”
A medical surveillance team will be stationed at the airport during the lockdown period.

‘Govt cannot baby-sit people all the time’

October 12, 2021The NationalMain Stories

THE Government cannot be expected to baby-sit the people all the time, as everyone should be taking responsibility for their health and well-being, says Health Minister Jelta Wong.
He pointed out bus drivers who breached rules by allowing more passengers in, and not forcing them to wear masks.
“Bus drivers and owners should have more responsibility about it because they carry people from place to place,” Wong said.
“That means if there’s an infected person in the bus, he/she infects all the people including the driver who goes to see the manager and then he gets it as well. ‘
“If they can, provide sanitisers too, which is not expensive.
“They can have one at the door of the bus. Wong said people must change their attitude and act responsibly by following the control measures.
“We can’t keep baby-sitting our people.”
He said people were now witnessing what was happening in Goroka, Eastern Highlands which should change how people viewed the pandemic.THE Government cannot be expected to baby-sit the people all the time, as everyone should be taking responsibility for their health and well-being, says Health Minister Jelta Wong.
He pointed out bus drivers who breached rules by allowing more passengers in, and not forcing them to wear masks.
“Bus drivers and owners should have more responsibility about it because they carry people from place to place,” Wong said.
“That means if there’s an infected person in the bus, he/she infects all the people including the driver who goes to see the manager and then he gets it as well. ‘
“If they can, provide sanitisers too, which is not expensive.
“They can have one at the door of the bus. Wong said people must change their attitude and act responsibly by following the control measures.
“We can’t keep baby-sitting our people.”
He said people were now witnessing what was happening in Goroka, Eastern Highlands which should change how people viewed the pandemic.

Health system stretched

October 12, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By LULU MARK
THE Coronavirus (Covid-19) surge is stretching the country’s health system, “something that we thought would never happen in our country”, says Health Minister Jelta Wong.
“We are pushing our health system to the limit,” Wong said.
“We’ve had a lot of deaths.
“Six months ago, we became complacent thinking that it will never come here.
“(So) we were our own worst enemies.
“We became complacent.”
He blamed “misinformation on social media” about vaccination for the hesitancy by many to get the vaccines.
Wong said people were now starting to see the effects of the Covid-19 and what the Delta variant was doing in Goroka, Mt Hagen and Western.
“They are starting to see that this Delta strain is a killer,” he said.
“It kills our people.
“Once we start treating people, it takes two weeks to get answers.
“There is no cure we can rely on.
“There is no medicine so we rely on isolation – people being separated from people so the virus doesn’t move.
“We also rely very heavily on people getting vaccinated.”
He said the Government response was slow but “we are getting there. (Stopping it) doesn’t happen overnight”.
Wong said it was very pleasing to see that the number of people getting vaccinated had quadrupled.
He urged the people to get the vaccine to stop the surge.
Meanwhile, at the Port Moresby General Hospital yesterday, two more Covid-19 deaths were recorded.
Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said 145 people were admitted – 114 at the hospital and 31 at the Nightingale Taurama Aquatic Centre.
He said five of them were critically ill, 30 severely ill and 70 were moderate cases.

Govt requests WHO to send more emergency medical teams

October 12, 2021The NationalNational

THE Government has requested the World Health Organisation (WHO) to send more emergency medical teams to support the response to the surge in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases.
Health Minister Jelta Wong said a team from the United Kingdom (UK), which had already responded, was expected to arrive next week.
“I’ve made the request to WHO which is the process we follow to get the emergency medical teams,” he said. Wong said the team from the UK would be sent to areas “where it’s needed the most”.
“We are also speaking to the Australian government and they are ready to send their team (too),” he said.
“The process is to go to WHO and once they put their call out, we wait for countries to (tell us) that they will send their teams here.
“(Then) we ensure that they go to the right places.”
Wong said China would also assist and an Indonesian-Philippines group of nurses would also come to help. They will be here for three months. Health workers have been trying hard to cope with the load with some already affected by the Covid-19.

Public Solicitor’s office closed after surge in Covid-19 cases

October 12, 2021The NationalNational

THE Office of the Public Solicitor has been closed because of the surge in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Port Moresby.
Public Solicitor Leslie Benjamin Manu said they had to take action and the suspension was to protect employees and people coming to the office from contracting the virus.
But he said it would not affect office operations and legal aid matters. People should communicate with their lawyers via emails and phones regarding such matters.
He said legal aid would only be considered for exceptional cases such as:

• URGENT restraining orders;
• PROTECTION orders;
• URGENT bail applications;
• APPLICATION and enforcement of human rights where there is an imminent threat of breach.

He said the emergence of the Covid-19 Delta variant and the surge in cases warranted such action to be taken.
The move was recommended by the legal aid committee and management effective from last week until further notice.

BSP expects less business in Goroka due to lockdown

October 12, 2021The NationalNational

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE Bank South Pacific Financial Group Ltd (BSP) is expecting its branches in Eastern Highlands to see less business because of the surge in Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases.
Group chief executive officer Robin Fleming said they expected fewer customers to visit the bank branches because of the new Covid-19 measures introduced for the province.
“Our branches in Eastern Highlands will be opened for business as usual on the introduction of the additional measures on Oct 13 (tomorrow),” Fleming told The National yesterday.
“As required by the measures and as approved by the EHP controller, our branches will open at the usual time and will close at 2pm, with staff to leave the premises by 3pm to travel home.
“BSP has approval to have 30 staff at work to meet the needs and demands of our customers during the two-week period.
“Business activity and general movement around Goroka town in particular have slowed down and we expect fewer customers visiting our branches than would normally be the case.
“BSP is actively encouraging our staff to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families.”
Meanwhile, EHP Governor Peter Numu said rules for the lockdown were:

• MANDATORY wearing of masks;
• BUSINESSES to close at 2pm and the curfew to run from 5pm to 6am;
• ONLY grades 8, 10 and 12 students to be in school to prepare to the national examinations; and,
• STRICT protocols to be observed at the borders.