COVID-19

Martin Aihi, 38, from the Central Province was excited to receive his free ticket to the Waghi Tumbe (Jiwaka) vs Mendi Muruks (SHP) finals game after receiving his COVID-19 vaccine at the ISOS Clinic, Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

Martin, who works as the facilities lead with Peuna in Port Moresby, said that COVID-19 is real and is in existence across the world, including Papua New Guinea.

He elaborated that the vaccine will protect himself and importantly his family from serious illness due to the virus.

National Pandemic Controller and Commissioner of Police David Manning made this known after the India High Commission in Port Moresby deliberately participated in bringing in unauthorized passengers into the country, four of whom were infected with COVID-19

As of August 10, the Delta variant has been reported in 142 countries and is expected to continue spreading. The Delta variant is about twice as contagious as previous variants.
However, the same precautions, such as avoiding crowded spaces, keeping your distance from others and mask wearing, still work against the Delta variant.

The World Health Organization (WHO), stated it is a variant because of its high transmissibility.

Dr. Molumi was responding to a query by this newsroom to get clarification on information received, where a reader alerted of a sit-in protest that was to happen today, regarding unpaid allowances.

In response, he confirmed that the management is aware of a few corporate service staff who are protesting for their COVID-19 overtime allowance claims.

“I met with three representatives to understand what the nature of their claims are, because PMGH as an institution believes in looking after staff who deliver patients care in difficult circumstances. 

Frontline workers including pilots, cabin crew and airport staff must be fully vaccinated by mid-November.

The company says its remaining employees have until the end of March next year to receive both doses.

It comes as the state of New South Wales reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus infections.

The Australian flag carrier is the country's biggest, most high-profile company to introduce a mandatory vaccination policy.

Dr Daoni reported that the latest cases are three males from Western Province. He said the NCC will be sending a team to Western Province, as they did with Madang, to help with contact tracing and provide technical advice and guidance on how to respond to the cases on ground. 

The Deputy Controller also said testing in Papua New Guinea has reduced since March, and therefore it is difficult to know how widespread the transmission of Delta Variant is. 

Namah says the rights and freedoms of these employees are being placed at risk by such company policy.

“Under whose jurisdiction do these companies operate? We make laws on this floor of Parliament, either they follow our laws or they break our laws. And we protect the interest, welfare and freedoms of our people, that’s what I’m saying,” said Namah.

Member for Ijivitari Open, Richard Masere called a point of order to explain that businesses have a responsibility to protect their interests. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told RNZ's Morning Report one of the new cases is a nurse at Auckland Hospital.

"The health workforce are very well versed and mapping these issues and have done in the past.

We have had COVID-positive cases in our health workforce before. What's different on this occasion is that we have this individual who is fully vaccinated."

Ardern said the four new cases were the workmate of the 58-year-old Devonport man and the workmate's close or household contacts.

Although the Fiji National Blood Service has a regular pool of blood donors which kept blood supply sufficient, the current challenges of the country's COVID outbreak is keeping donors away, which is a huge problem for the country's three largest hospitals.

The Fiji Red Cross Society's Neomai Kafoa, who is the focal point for its COVID-19 work, said the situation was so serious that they had 85 volunteers on the phones urging friends and family to donate blood.

The government also confirmed six more deaths including an 18-year-old woman.

That compares with 752 cases and seven deaths in the previous 24-hour period.

Health Secretary Doctor James Fong said of the latest cases, 193 are from the Western Division and 489 cases from the Central Division.

Dr Fong said the latest victims died on 5 and 6 August, with three deaths in the Central Division and three in the Western Division.

He said all but two of the patients were not vaccinated.