Papua New Guinea has reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 359.
COVID-19 related deaths remain at 3.
The update was released by the National Pandemic Controller David Manning.
All of these new cases are from Ok Tedi Mining Limited and are all asymptomatic, meaning they had not shown symptoms of the disease at the time of testing.
It was reported that the 12 cases are from eight dongas that had had initial cases.
The new cases are being isolated with other positive cases.
Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Western Province is at 97.
Furthermore, the 12 positive cases are among 14,438 people that have been tested for COVID-19 in the country since the outbreak begun early in the year.
Of this figure, 12,484 have tested negative and 1,416 tests are pending laboratory results.
On Monday this week the Milne Bay province became the 11th province in the country to report a case, a young woman who showed mild symptoms at the time of testing and is now well and quarantined at home with her family.
Controller Manning, said ongoing public health awareness nationwide must be scaled up rapidly across the country with provinces taking the lead and emphasis on community taking ownership by ensuring they are not only adhering to the health protocols against COVID-19 but also to avoid stigmatising and discriminating those with COVID-19.
“We need to educate the communities well, so they will not be fearful of COVID-19. They will instead support each other when one is sick with it,’’ said Controller Manning.
Six countries in the Pacific and Territories, including PNG, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam and New Caledonia.
Papua New Guinea alone has reported 383 new cases between 11 and 18 August, 2020.