The Lihir Mine is the second mine site in Papua New Guinea with one confirmed COVID-19 case.
Newcrest Mining Limited confirmed today that a 30-year-old male tested positive to the Coronavirus.
In a statement released this evening, the National Pandemic Response Deputy Controller Dr Paison Dakulala said he is a mine employee who flew back to work, from Port Moresby on 30th July.
He is one of 26 cases reported today.
This brings the total to 214 confirmed COVID-19 cases in PNG.
Dr Dakulala said the Lihir mine employee was detected during the routine screening process for all incoming workers where a mandatory screening and 14-day quarantine process is effected upon arrival on the mine site.
Included in the 26 reported cases is another confirmed case from Lae.
Dr Dakulala sad, “The patient is a 53-year-old female employee of a government institution who had recently spent time in China. The other 24 cases are from the National Capital District, 11 of which have been identified through increased testing at Wanigela settlement in Koki.”
“As PNG hits the 200 mark today, globally we are just under 20 million confirmed cases. This is a critical time for all of us, we need you all to work with us to fight this virus,” said Deputy Controller Dakulala.
The total number of tests completed in PNG is 11,439 tests.
Meanwhile, contact tracing continues in the provinces of Morobe, West Sepik, Southern Highlands, Western and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, for the recently confirmed cases.
All cases are currently monitored by respective Provincial Health Authorities.