Quarantine

Two dozen players who arrived from Los Angeles entered strict hotel quarantine after an aircrew member and Australian Open participant who is not a player tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Later, another non-player passenger on a flight from Abu Dhabi tested positive, prompting the organisers to usher 23 players into hotel quarantine.

All three who tested positive had been transferred to a health hotel, the organisers said in a statement.

The players would not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared, they said.

The Government advises that this extension will remain effective until the end of December, 2020.

Some exceptions have been made for humanitarian flights to transport essential equipment and medical supplies for the Government as it enters the final stages of its preparations for repatriation of nationals. 

A group of 20 nationals from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) will be the first to be repatriated.

All repatriated nationals would be required to undergo mandatory quarantine at a Government-designated facility on South Tarawa.

She said the man was apprehended by police after only making it 50 metres from the hotel.

"They didn't even make 50 metres. Security and the police were on to it and it really does show the work of having the police on site.

"They could be immediately brought back into the facility. This is an example of the systems working as they should.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb said the 32-year-old man attempted to follow a staff member out of the gate, claiming he was a worker.

While government is progressing with re-opening entry points for air, land and sea, there are serious concerns from the border province of West Sepik. 

Community Leader, Elluida Amo said, “Preparedness plans for citizens returning to the country via the PNG/Indonesian border at Wutung are in-efficient.”

“Our understanding was that the proposed facility was prepared for POI’s from Wutung village itself and only recently we became aware of the government’s intention to house the repatriated PNG citizens here. We hear that total may be close to one hundred.” He said.

The efforts of the East New Britain Provincial Government were commended as the two buildings, worth K700,000, were opened at Butuwin in Kokopo District.

The occasion also saw the contractor, Jacom Building and Construction Company, handing over the certification of completion of the facilities to the ENB Controller and Provincial Administrator, Wilson Matava, and then to Governor Nakikus Konga.

“I would like to commend efforts by the ENB provincial government and provincial administration to build the facility in a record time of three weeks,” Wong said.

After undergoing a last health check, the evacuees left the Whangaparaoa military base and travelled by bus to the airport. 

98 New Zealanders left by bus or with family and friends.

The base will soon be back in use as a quarantine centre. Eight New Zealanders on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship​ are due to leave Japan late on Wednesday night on an Australian evacuation flight to Darwin.

Of the 14 New Zealanders originally on board the ship, two are still in hospital in Japan and a family member has stayed with them.

Managing Director Stanley Alphonse said this to clear the air on illegal imports entering the country.

The arrest of several men of Asian origin charged with importing fake beer products, resulted in widespread condemnation that other fake and illegal products entered through the country’s various key sea ports.

The PNG Ports MD said they provide internationally recognised and accepted security at its main port of entries for international cargo and does not include customs and quarantine duties.

Edward Khan of the Jefferson County Health Department says the patient is being treated at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital after developing symptoms and notifying authorities.

Khan says the patient recently traveled to a country with Ebola cases, but he didn't identify the country or name the patient.