Killer Delta: Death toll, infections rise in PNG

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Killer Delta: Death toll, infections rise in PNG

PORT MORESBY: The Coronavirus (Covid-19) infection is surging in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the death toll is fast rising amid a Delta attack.

Goroka and its seven districts are seeing nine to 15 deaths daily and the figures are yet to be relayed to the National Control Centre (NCC).

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below several news updates published by The National:

Killer Delta

October 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE stench of death is overwhelming as the three hospital attendants opened the containers containing the bodies of those who died from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) at the Goroka Hospital, Eastern Highlands.
Nine to 15 people die each day in Goroka and its seven other districts. The figures are yet to be relayed to the National Control Centre (NCC).
The 40 beds are all occupied. Some patients have to sit on chairs to be given oxygen.
Three children under the age of five are also fighting for their lives in the isolation ward.
Sister Lynette Baba, in charge of the Covid-19 isolation ward, told The National that they were struggling daily to help patients.
“We had 16 staff working to save 40 to 50 people a day, (but) now we have 30 nurses coming in to the ward,” she said.
Governor Peter Numu announced the two-week lockdown to try to contain the Covid-19 transmission. Provincial administrator/controller John Gimiseve said tests would be conducted at the entrances to Goroka at Kassam and Daulo.
“Roadblocks will be set up in the eight districts with the disciplined forces assisting the surveillance team to check on travelers,” Numu said.
“There will be an isolation centre built at the National Sports Institute to ensure those who tested positive are kept there in isolation.”
A body bag lay on a stretcher outside the container. Relatives of the deceased people, some covered in black ashes or red clay, mourn. They know they cannot touch the body of their loved one.
One man said he was sad that he could not give his late cousin a proper send-off.

Morgue attendants at Goroka Base Hospital, in Eastern Highlands placing a body into a casket to be buried on Saturday as per the Covid-19 protocols. No relative was allowed to handle the body or casket of people who died of Covid-19. – Nationalpic by MIRIAM ZARRIGA

“I can’t tell you my name as many assumed that my cousin died of other superstition powers. But I was informed of his medical diagnosis,” he said.
“I watched him fade away before my eyes. The family members have quietly farewelled him. We have selected a casket for him and now we can prepare a burial plot as he is laid to rest by hospital officials.”
Provincial Health Authority chief executive officer Dr Joseph Apa said no family member was allowed to handle the body.
“When a person dies, our attendants (take the body) to the morgue, and we tell the family to provide a casket,” he said.
“Once a burial plot is selected by the family and forms are filled, the body is placed into the casket. Hospital staff dressed in PPEs take the casket back to the village, put it into the ground, cover it up, and that’s it.”
Morgue attendant David Awo said since the beginning of September, many bodies had been brought to the morgue.
“I have never seen this happen in my years of operating as the morgue man. This is every day. We hear the sirens and we know it’s either an emergency or someone is being brought to the morgue.
“All we can do is put the body into body bags and put them into the two containers.”
On Friday evening, sirens can be heard all over Goroka.
The ambulances are there to assist a victim or remove a body. Families ask the hospital for an ambulance to assist them. By the time the ambulance gets to the family home, sometimes it is too late.

EHP declares lockdown

October 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
EASTERN Highlands has gone into lockdown by closing its borders, ordering businesses to close at 2pm daily, and imposing a curfew from 5pm to contain the surge in Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases.
As of Saturday, the National Control Centre (NCC) reported 26 deaths in the province, with one Delta variant case confirmed, and 779 people who have recovered.
In the past seven days, 23 people tested positive.
Since September, there were 212 new cases.
The total cases in Eastern Highlands is 1,310.
Governor Peter Numu said the lockdown rules were:

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

Provincial administrator John Gimiseve warned businesses to ensure that there were only 20 people working at any one time.
“Businesses are to close at 2pm, ensure that there are less than 20 people working, especially in supermarkets,” Numu said.
The main market at the Peace Park will be closed.
Clubs and gambling premises will also be closed.
Schools will continue to operate but with strict coronavirus protocols
Checkpoints will be set up at district borders to monitor people movement.

NCD sets vaccine target

October 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

Despite a surge in Covid-19 cases in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, a health official said many were not bothered to take care of themselves such as keeping a social distance.

By LULU MARK
THE National Capital District (NCD) aims to vaccinate up to 70 per cent of its residents to prevent any lockdowns prompted by an increase in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, Governor Powes Parkop says.
Parkop opened on Friday the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the Moresby South electorate at the Koki fish market with MP Justin Tkatchenko.
He said the NCD population fluctuated between 1 and 1.2 million because people were moving in and out every day.
So if around 600,000 get vaccinated, the city will be safer.
“Any lockdown will be disastrous for the city and for the country and I don’t want the controller to go down that path,” Parkop said.
“We are already under stress in terms of employment, income generation, the economy, and any restrictions will just kill business and will be a recipe for social explosion.
“So the people need to understand it.”
He said it was good to see people coming forward to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
Parkop said vaccination was continuing at Rita Flynn, urban clinics, Port Moresby General Hospital, Vision City, Stop and Shop in Waigani Central and through the mobile vaccination team.

Four die from Covid-19 at hospital’s isolation centre

October 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

FOUR people have died from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) at the Mendi Provincial Hospital isolation centre and two others in their villages as fatalities continue to surge, an official says.
Southern Highlands health authority chief executive officer Dr Joseph Birisi said seven doctors and 23 nurses at the hospital were sick with Covid-19 symptoms, which was greatly affecting manpower.
Some frontline workers are starting to “burn out” from the long hours.
“From Sept 20 to today, the hospital recorded 200-plus cases, with 20 to 30 positive cases in a day,” Dr Birisi said.
“We have 14 inpatients and there are only 12 beds available at the isolation centre,” Dr Birisi said.
“Because of the surge, we have scaled down services especially in the outpatient unit and consultation clinic to move staff to priority areas.”
Dr Birisi said patients with moderate symptoms were sent home because there were not enough beds.
He said the hospital also had a shortage of oxygen supply, personal protective equipment, consumables and N95 masks for staff members.
“We do not have the capacity and manpower to sustain the influx of patients from all districts, as well as others from Kandep in Enga, Tambul, Western Highlands and Magarima in Hela,” Dr Birisi said.
He said there was a need to increase the bed capacity to cater for patients at the Ialibu District Hospital and also more manpower for the Nipa District Hospital.
“We are facing a big problem and need support from donor agencies, the five district development authorities and the provincial government,” Dr Birisi said.
He said they were encouraging health workers and people to get vaccinated.

Over 135 hospitalised

October 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

A patient at the Nightingale Aquatic Centre Coronavirus care centre. – Nationalpics by JOEL HAMARI

By CLARISSA MOI
THE Nightingale Taurama Aquatic Centre Coronavirus (Covid-19) care centre has 35 patients, according to St John Ambulance chief executive officer Matt Cannon.
The Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) had more than 100 on Friday.
Cannon said more patients were expected at the centre as cases continued to rise in the National Capital District.
“We are seeing a steep rise in the Covid-19 cases in Port Moresby,” he said.
“Currently, (there are) 35 inpatients – 32 mild, two moderate and one serious cases.”
Cannon said 16 of those patients were on oxygen.
The facility had a 1:6 clinician to patient ratio 24/7, he said.
“With onsite medical staff supervision, the facility has capability to stabilise deteriorating patients whilst waiting transfer toPMGH ,” Cannon said.
“There is sufficient equipment and beds, we do need more nursing and medical staff so we can take on more patients.”
He said between Friday and Sunday, St John Ambulance responded to 133 emergencies, 43 were for the Covid-19.
“We operate six ambulances in the National Capital District, one ambulance in Kokopo, one ambulance in Lae and one ambulance in Kundiawa.
“We need to bring more ambulances on line right away to be able to respond to routine emergencies and the growing number of people needing help for severe acute respiratory illness from the Covid-19.
“We have reached out to the Health Minister (Jelta Wong) and Health secretary (Dr Osborne Liko) to see if they can permit some of the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation) ambulances and new UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) ambulances to be used by St John. Cannon said 41 patients had been admitted to the Nightingale Taurama Aquatic Centre since it opened last Friday, three patients have subsequently been discharged and three returned to Port Moresby General Hospital due to deterioration in condition.
Meanwhile, according information from PMGH on Friday, more than 100 patients had been admitted: 24 severe and 60 moderate.
Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said the total number of deaths at the hospital related to the Covid-19 was six (as of Friday), all were unvaccinated.

Covid-19 patients sharing oxygen tanks: Doc

October 11, 2021The NationalNational

FORTY Coronavirus (Covid-19) patients admitted at the Goroka Hospital are dependent on a supply of oxygen and have to share equipment, an official says.
Acting incident manager Dr Chris Ope said the hospital’s isolation ward was full with 16 staff members managing the Covid-19 facility.
“We are hoping to increase the numbers of accessories so we can have one patient to one oxygen tank. We are using oxygen concentrators to deliver oxygen to the patients. The management has taken on board another 30 clinical staff (to be used) in the emergency department and the Covid-19 centre.
“Several staff members have tested positive for the Covid-19 mostly from the main hospital.
“Our staff are very emotional and it is something we all experience. The second wave was okay. This wave is overwhelming us as we are trying to maintain services,” Ope said.
“We are operating about 40 gas cylinders per day at the moment. We are limited to the number of oxygen accessories that we have. There is no stock available.” The main supplier BOC said they should have new oxygen accessories arriving from Australia.
“We just received 20 from a company in Port Moresby, so we are using that on top of the oxygen concentrators we have now,” Ope said.

K1.4mil allocated to Eastern Highlands health authority

October 11, 2021The NationalNational

EASTERN Highlands Governor Peter Numu has allocated K1.4 million to the provincial health authority to assist in the fight against the Coronavirus (Covid 19).
He said money approved by the provincial executive council would be used to buy essential equipment such as oxygen cylinders and masks.
“People are dying rapidly. During my recent visit to the Goroka Provincial Hospital, I witnessed five people die,” he said.
He said three also died at the Kainantu Rural Hospital while two died in their villages.
The province’s population is around 700,000.
Numu said to properly manage the pandemic in the province, they needed K16 million which it did not have.
People’s attitude remains the biggest problem, he said.
“People like to socialise and do marketing and changing this attitude remains a big challenge. People are dying but many are still ignorant,” Numu said.
They plan to set up Covid-19 isolation facilities at the National Sports Institute and the Kassam Pass section of the Highlands Highway. Numu said to effectively implement the new measures, they needed to support the police manpower.
The province plans to pay a risk allowance of K50 a day for police officers over two weeks.

Coronavirus delta variant forces Goroka league into suspension

October 11, 2021The NationalSports

GOROKA Rugby League matches will remain suspended for the next two weeks in the Eastern Highlands capital, according to an official.
Provincial sports director Leroy Kume told The National yesterday that all competitions, including the league, were on hold with authorities to review the decision after two weeks.
He said the surge in Coronavirus Delta variant cases in the Eastern Highlands capital remained a threat to the league.
“The competition is in a two-week lockdown and that will stand until authorities see if it is safe to resume matches,” Kume said.
“Goroka is in a desperate situation and most the province’s resources are being stretched to the limit.
“So we’re calling on teams and players to be mindful of their movements.
“We’ve advised players and teams to stop training because there’s a ban on gatherings.
“The league is one of the biggest in the province and we will look into how we can resume.
“But first, we must review and see if and when we will be able to re-start matches.
“We have 22 teams each in the men’s and Under-20 divisions.
“There are eight women’s teams, so it will be a big task to resume games.
“But we will have to assess the situation first.”
Kume said if the competition was given the green light, matches for the final round of regular season would go ahead with only the top-12 men’s and U20 sides progressing to the finals.

Hospital still waiting for sample results

October 11, 2021The NationalNational

GOROKA Hospital is still waiting for the 28 sample results, suspected to be of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Delta variant, sent last month to the National Control Centre.
Eastern Highlands health authority chief executive officer Dr Joseph Apa and deputy director curative health Tony Basse said they were still awaiting word on the test results.
Dr Apa said about 5 per cent of the 890 hospital staff members had been affected by the Covid-19.
He said five had already died from the virus.
“We have three issues that we are dealing with on top of trying to help patients – manpower shortage, oxygen supply and beds,” Dr Apa said.
“We are looking for oxygen every day and trying our best.
“Business houses in Goroka have assisted us but with the influx of patients, we need more.”
Dr Apa said the lockdown would assist in disrupting the transmission cycle.
“Patients in the five isolation wards are dependent on oxygen. We run out daily of oxygen. We need the people in the province to practice the Niupla Pasin protocols,” he said.
Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu said the process must be fast-tracked so that patients could be put on the correct treatment plan.

Eastern Highlands sees increase in Coronavirus vaccination

October 11, 2021The NationalNational

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THERE is an increase in people getting vaccinated in Eastern Highlands but authorities warn there is still a long way to go to reach their target of 146,980.
Provincial health authority chief executive officer Dr Joseph Apa said only around 4,400 had received the first dose, and 1,470 their second dose.
“In a day, we have had a good number of residents come to the hospital to be vaccinated,” he said.
“For those in town, we have another vaccination point near the airport.”
The AstraZeneca vaccine is now only available to those wishing to get their second vaccination.
The single-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine is now available at the Goroka Hospital.
Dr Apa said the attitude of people in the province to the vaccination programme was the biggest issue.
He said many were not bothered to take care of themselves.
“Vaccination was low in September, but we have seen a rise in the numbers coming in to be vaccinated,” Dr Apa said. “All eight districts are affected and we are working to ensure people receive the message to be vaccinated.”
Dr Apa reiterated the message to everyone to get vaccinated.
He said it was the only way they would beat Covid-19.