Coronavirus

75 travellers arrived in Wallis after spending seven days in pre-departure quarantine in Noumea and returning negative tests.

After their arrival, they were in home isolation for three days after which a further test was carried out when a Futuna resident was found to have Covid-19.

The public broadcaster said the individual has been transferred to hospital.

The territory lost its only external airlink in September when New Caledonia went into lockdown over a fresh Covid-19 community outbreak.

In a statement the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Counties Manukau Health reported the death of a man in his 40s at Middlemore Hospital.

“No further information will be released until conversations with the man’s family have concluded. Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends at this deeply sad time.”

Of the new cases, 175 were in Auckland, 20 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Taupō and four in Northland.

By contrast, Fiji and smaller Pacific Island nations in Polynesia and Micronesia have already achieved or are close to reaching key vaccination benchmarks, making it much easier for them to re-open to the outside world. 

The Lowy Institute has crunched health and population data to project when Pacific Island nations are likely to have vaccinated enough people to protect their populations from the worst impacts of COVID-19. 

Some protesters threw fireworks at police officers, who intervened with tear gas and water cannon.

Demonstrators are mainly opposed to the use of Covid passes, which stops the unvaccinated from entering venues such as restaurants or bars.

This comes after fresh protests in the Netherlands against new lockdown rules.

On Saturday, people hurled fireworks at police and set fire to bicycles in The Hague, one night after protests in Rotterdam turned violent and police fired gunshots.

Only children under the age of 12, NT residents, a small number of essential personnel and people arriving on compassionate grounds will be able to access an exemption under some of the country's strictest rules, which will come into effect on Monday.

"Previously, arriving from a green zone you didn't have to be vaccinated," Chief Minister Michael Gunner said today.

"On Monday that route is closed."

Gunner said the small number of unvaccinated travellers would still need to isolate on arrival and get tested.

Chinese Ambassador, Zeng Fanhua, recently presented the cheque to the Controller of the National Pandemic Response and Police Commissioner, David Manning.
Mr Zeng said China extends its sincere sympathy to the government and people of PNG who is going through a new wave of COVID-19.

“Papua New Guinea is a good friend and a partner of China. Mutual help in difficult times has built a deep friendship between our two countries,’’ he said.

The Government also confirmed eight of the latest cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8am Thursday.

There are no deaths to report and the toll remains at 694.

Health Secretary James Fong said 17 Covid patients are in hospital, eight in the central division and nine in the west.

"We have recorded 596 Covid-19 positive patients who died from serious medical conditions they had before they contracted Covid. These are not classified as Covid-19 deaths."

Mr Weggemans said Rotary Port Moresby is looking for a way to help the effort in fighting COVID in Port Moresby and they have witnessed the excellent job being done by SJA including the management of the TAC.

“In response to the COVID surge, we were looking for a way to help and we have seen that St John is doing an excellent job in managing the outbreak and the facility at Taurama Aquatic COVID Centre.

In a statement, the Ministry said today's official cases included 142 in Auckland, 17 in Waikato, five in Northland, and one each in the Bay of Plenty, Lakes, and Canterbury DHB areas.

The Ministry said the continued spread of the coronavirus to regions throughout New Zealand was a "reminder that everyone needs to heed the advice that will help keep our communities as safe as possible".

The PSA Oxygen Plant was planned so the government can be able to meet the demand of oxygen requirements in PNG.

“And this is how we save lives. The key component as Dr. Molumi was saying, to combat the COVID-19 virus is oxygen. And we are so appreciative to our foreign partners, our donor partners WHO and Global Fund for ensuring that we have an oxygen plant which is needed the most,” Minister Wong said.