New emergency direction on hotel quarantine

State of emergency Controller and Police Commissioner, David Manning, has issued new emergency directions specifically on quarantine protocols for designated hotels.

“The hotels that are no longer designated facilities shall not accept persons requiring to be quarantined. The hotel management should immediately inform any person booked to be quarantined at their hotel that they may no longer quarantine them from June 2 onwards and refer them to the National Operations Centre,” Manning stated.

He said Police and members of the Correctional Services as well as hotel security will place a 24-hour surveillance to ensure the integrity of the quarantine protocol is maintained. All persons are not to leave their designated rooms prior to the expiry of their 14-day quarantine period.

Manning said if a person is suspected of having COVID-19 symptoms, the hotel must contact medical services and the COVID-19 team at the National Operations Centre (NOC).

“Non-compliance with the emergency direction by a non-PNG citizen or non-PNG resident may result in an immediate deportation of the offender with the cost to be borne by that person. Legal actions will also be taken against them,” Manning stressed.

Failure to comply with this direction could result in a fine not exceeding K50,000 for individuals and K500,000 for corporations.

“Such tough measures need to be taken to defend PNG against the COVID-19 pandemic and I appeal to everyone to cooperate with us to ensure that PNG continues to be COVID-19 free.”

Author: 
Press release