Port Moresby General Hospital reported that 75% of COVID-19 tests came back positive within the last 24 hours as of the 1st of February 2022.
According to Director Medical Services, Dr Koni Sobi said about hundred (100) staff of the hospital were also infected, most of them had mild infections. Some have resumed after a 3 to 5-day isolation. However as expected, staff isolation is adding pressure on existing rosters in respective clinical areas.
As at the time of this report, there were 22 in-patients in the ward all having comorbidities, with half of them on some amount of oxygen, while others in room air.
On a positive note, Doctor Sobi said the hospital did not have a drastic increase in severe respiratory disease in COVID-19 cases in the last couple of weeks, despite large numbers of positive cases.
He said they continue to monitor the situation closely, aiming to maintain usual clinical services as much as possible. However isolation of staff in some clinical areas may result in controlling numbers of client appointments in those areas, for instance gynecology clinic, during this time.