COVID-19 Pandemic Controller

Manning was responding to comments by Namah claiming that the announcement on the first COVID-19 case in Vanimo is fake.

Manning said the patient in Vanimo was tested at the Sandaun Provincial Hospital through the geneXpert machine and the results were formally transmitted to the National Control Centre health technical team for announcement.

Dr Stella Jimmy, Director of Curative Health at the Sandaun Provincial Health Authority, confirmed that the patient was tested positive for COVID-19. She said the patient is being moved into an isolation facility.

Manning made this statement following queries from the public whether there were liquor restrictions in place.

“To assist with government response to COVID-19 during the State of Emergency certain restrictions were placed on the sale of liquor. However, when the SOE ended we reverted back to the normal situation. Let me make it clear that I have not issued any control measures on the sale of liquor under the National Pandemic Act 2020.