East New Britain

In his update, Health Minister Jelta Wong said preliminary report received has identified 28 close contacts among family members, workmates and health workers, with nine of them as persons under investigation.

Three rapid response teams composed of epidemiologists, doctors, nurses, infection prevention and control specialists, logisticians and other personnel have been deployed to ENB.

Since the confirmation of the first case yesterday, police moved to lock down the Raluana LLG villages of Ialakua, Baravon, Unamurmur, Vunatagia and Bitabaur.

ENB provincial police commander (PPC), Joseph Tabali, told this newsroom that the 40-year-old woman, who is from that area, has complied with their instruction to remain in her house, while her village and four others have been closed off. 

“No one is coming out to go to Kokopo or Rabaul,” said PPC Tabali. 

In a media briefing this afternoon, Police Minister Bryan Kramer said the 40-year-old developed flu-like symptoms on March 19^th, where she received antibiotic treatment from the Nonga General Hospital.

Prime Minister James Marape, when making the announcement this afternoon, said domestics flights from ENB to Port Moresby were scheduled to resume but because of ENB’s case, specific operation orders will be issued by the SOE Controller to the provincial authorities.

The warning was issued by the SOE Controller and Provincial Administrator, Wilson Matava, during a special meeting of all LLG presidents and LLG managers in East New Britain last week.

And they have been further warned to deliver reliable and correct awareness material to the community, to ensure people in the villages are better educated on issues relating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The appeal will feature a number of activities to raise funds for this worthy humanitarian cause.

To run for a month, Deputy ENB Provincial Administrator for District and LLG Services – Nicholas Larme, says there will be a phone-a-thon program with assistance from Telikom as well as an appeal to business houses in the province and a music concert.

Larme says the four district administrators have also been engaged to help with coordination from the districts.

The launch of the first of seven solar dryers over the weekend marks another milestone in helping farmers continue to meet the international standards required for global confectionary markets.

With an initial shipment of 500 kilograms of cocoa planned for delivery to Japan in the coming weeks, the solar dryers demonstrate how much needed incomes can be generated in an environmentally sustainable way.

These efforts were given a significant boost with a second K100,000 grant provided by the Pomio District Development Authority on June 20^th. This follows a previous investment made in September 2018.

This funding will support the continuing efforts of farmers in the Melkoi Local Level Government to construct a second solar cocoa dryer, enable their participation in the Cocoa Excellence show in Lae to showcase products and continue developing locally made chocolate.

The downpour, which started on Sunday, is causing widespread flooding and as a result, the East New Britain Provincial Education Board suspended classes effective today, Wednesday 20^th February, until Friday, 22 February.

Chairman of the Provincial Education Board, Wilson Matava, issued the notice to all schools in ENB – from elementary to secondary, technical and vocational schools.

He said heavy rain is posing a threat to the safety of students. Classes will resume on Monday 25 February.

The MOU was signed between Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister and Kokopo MP, Emil Tammur, Provincial and National Government, and Asia Pacific Tourism Organisation (APTO).

The signing is geared to ensure Kokopo lives up to its name as the tourism hub of the country.

Minister Tammur said the signing now paves the way for work to begin so that the district and province can be ready to take in huge numbers of tourists.