Coronavirus

About 30 representatives from different churches in Port Moresby, Central, Milne Bay, Oro, Western and Gulf provinces participated in the first day of the discussions. 
The purpose of this dialogue is raising awareness on COVID-19 vaccines, to ensure that church leaders are sensitized on information regarding the vaccine. 
Making sure Church leaders are resourced with updated information and they obtain correct and evidence-based information, help reduce the severity and mortality of COVID-19 and reduce pressure on the PNG health care system. 

The measures, according to a media release, are aligned with and reinforcing PNG Government directives and measures to keep its workforce and contractors safe.

“At Newcrest Mining Lihir, the health and safety of our workforce is our priority – it is like wearing Personal Protection Equipment and going to work every day,’’ Mine General Manager Johan Labuschagne said yesterday.

Dr Mathias Sapuri, a United Nations in-country Physician and Senior Consultant of Obstetrics & Gynecology addressed staff of Government House yesterday about the new Delta variant and the importance of getting vaccinated.

Dr Sapuri also dispelled a lot of rumours on social media regarding vaccination which has prevented a lot of people from getting vaccinated including staff of Government House.

Each of these provinces will be receiving 3-tonnes of supplies each, comprising Personal Protective Equipment, oxygen concentrators and essential medicine.

Most of these cargo are taken from the National Control Centre warehouse in Port Moresby, but there’s also some supplies brought by the AUSMAT team for the different hospitals, that are also being delivered. 

At the weekend, they dropped the supplies in Goroka in Eastern Highlands, Lae in Morobe, Madang and Mt Hagen in the Western Highlands Province. 

At the Nightingale Taurama Aquatic Centre (NTAC), there were 32 admissions not on oxygen, including 2 new admissions and 30 mild cases. There were 6 new admissions and 24 moderate cases on oxygen. Total admissions at the NTAC then was 54.

On November 1, 2021 there were 24 COVID-19 positive cases that were attended to at all SJA branches; 17 in NCD, 2 from Central/Gulf, and 5 from Lae. There were only four (4) respiratory cases attended to on that day - three (3) in NCD and one in Kokopo.  

The person arrived two weeks ago, and tested positive for the virus once in New Zealand.

They are staying in managed isolation in Auckland.

The tiny island nation has not had any previously reported cases of Covid-19.

About 14,000 people live across the Tuvalu archipelago, and UN data shows that 12,114 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered there.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health said this case was one of three new incoming border cases that were reported yesterday.

Another 126 community cases were also reported in New Zealand yesterday.

The ministry says the inmates were exposed to the virus before going into custody.

They are being managed appropriately to avoid any chance for the virus to spread to the wider prison population, it says.

It says there is no evidence of transmission at this stage.

Nationwide, 67 percent of prisoners have received their first dose and 50 percent are fully vaccinated.

The Corrections Department has been approached for the actual numbers of those in custody with Covid-19.

Vaccines have slowed the death rate, but some health experts say the true toll could be far higher.

The milestone comes amid warnings from health officials that cases and deaths in some places are rising for the first time in months.

Nearly 250 million cases of the virus have been recorded worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the pandemic's real global death toll could be two to three times higher than official records.

In the US, more than 745,800 people have died, making it the country with the highest number of recorded deaths.

The refugees came from the Australian offshore detention camps in Manus (Papua New Guinea) and Nauru, and were brought to the mainland for medical treatment.

They are being held at the Park Hotel in Carlton, where 22 of them now have Covid-19, with one hospitalised.

The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul claimed the proper protocols of separating the infected from those without the virus had been ignored by Australian officials.

He said the Australian government has created a Covid incubator in the Park Hotel.

According to Officer-in-Charge of Gumine Health Centre, George Umba the health facility, which is two kilometres away from Dirima, has so far recorded 17 cases and three deaths.  

He said there is community transmission happening in Gumine and said more patients are expected.

Recently the district COVID-19 mobile team have conducted vaccinations and administered 200 jabs to people in Dirima with the Johnson & Johnson (JJ) vaccine.