Coronavirus

Prime Minister James Marape said the security and medical measures are being deployed to ensure the land border shared with Indonesia prevent traditional and illegal crossing.

The deployments are in line with the extended State of Emergency for two months in response to the growing number of COVID019 cases around the world.

Prime Minister Marape, said following the special Parliament sitting to extend the SOE, they have gone full steam into beefing up security and medical monitoring at the PNG Indonesian border.

They made this announcement in a press conference yesterday afternoon.

The K5.5 million will be used by the Western SOE team to run Covid-19 awareness, support border surveillance by the joint police and military forces, establish quarantine and isolation facilities at the Kiunga and Daru hospitals and to maintain law and order issues in the province in the midst of the state of emergency.

With a landmass of 98 thousand square meters, the first strategy the Western province SOE team is doing is to make people aware.

These include three medical cases, in which two are deceased.

The National Government instituated State of Emergency saw a suspension of international flights folllwing the first and only positive case of COVID-19, leaving Papua New Guineans abroad stranded.

Prime Minister, James Marape, said efforts are being made to bring them back.

“We are working on a special uplift flight for these Papua new Guineans, including three who have travelled on medical ground. In fact, two are deceased, and one Papua New Guinean lady who needs to come back.

Globally, nations are taking actions to reduce and control the spread of the virus. 

Between 31 March and 03 April 2020, 36 new cases have been confirmed in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

As of 03 April 2020, 6 countries (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), Papua New Guinea, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam and New Caledonia) in the PICTs have reported 153 cases including 4 deaths, excluding the number of cases from USS Theodore Roosevelt currently docked in Guam.

According to the Director of the Public Health Division of the Pacific Community (SPC) Paula Vivili, only five countries currently are able to offer in-country testing.

These countries are Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea

New curfew hours of 8pm to 5am were activated last (Friday) night.

Fijian Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho, said,” The high number of arrests made during the curfew hours from 8pm to 5am this morning is a shocking sign of disobedience in a time where we are needing everyone to listen, obey, comply and restrict movement and gatherings.”

One hundred and twenty-three (123) people were arrested during the nationwide curfew hours.

Before the 27^th of April, a decision will be made on whether it is safe to resume classes.

Speaking at the regular COVID-19 briefing this evening at the Morauta Haus, Marape said: “But as I speak, I am passing notice to all our educational institutions throughout the country, that we give an extension of their holidays.”

SOE Controller, David Manning, said: “We’re working with education officials to ensure that we adjust the dates for the remaining school year, so as to ensure that the full process of completing an academic year is complied with.”

The 14-day lockdown that started on 23 March ends on 6th of April (Monday). Travel within the country will resume Tuesday next week. However, the ban on international travel remains and the international borders remain locked.

The Controller of the State of Emergency and Police Commissioner, David Manning, will announce more details on the uplifting of the lockdown and further announcements of the key measures that will be in place during the two-month extension of the SOE.

Over the last nine days, the NCDC Urban Safety (US) Division’s Reserve Police personnel have partnered with the NCD Metropolitan Command under the leadership of Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N'Dranou.

Director Paul Komboi said: “The streets of Port Moresby have been our major focus during the SOE in ensuring its cleanliness, health, hygiene and safety is of paramount importance.

The potential longer-term effects on the global economy and those of individual countries are dire.   In a new report, Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the United Nations Secretary-General calls on everyone to act together to address this impact and lessen the blow to people.