9th case of Covid-19

The National Main Stories

By REBECCA KUKU
AN Australian defence force officer is in isolation after testing positive to Covid-19, as local health authorities concentrate on contact tracing and other measures to stop the virus from spreading.
Chairperson of the National Operation Centre’s medical and scientific advisory committee Dr Evelyn Lavu told The National yesterday that the officer, 44, who arrived in January and had been deployed to the border provinces, could have picked up the Covid-19 there.
He becomes the ninth confirmed Covid-19 case in PNG.
The first eight had all recovered. The last case was reported 57 days ago.
“The contact tracing is ongoing. The first 28 samples collected over the weekend have come back negative,” Lavu said.
“Even today, we have people calling in on the hotline and asking to be tested as they had been in contact with him. So we will be checking everyone he had come into contact with.”
Lavu said they were treating the case as a “community transmission”.
“The ADF member has been in country since January, and only travelled to the border provinces in April,” she said.
“However, the incubation period is 21 days, and it has been more than 21 days since his travel.
“We suspect he may have picked it up from the borders, but it doesn’t fit into the incubation period, although there is the possibility that he may have come into contact with others who came in from the border provinces.”
Lavu said because the Australian soldier had “moved around a lot in Port Moresby”, they were now working on “contact tracing all those who had come into contact with him”.
She said the message to the people in PNG right now was: “Prevention is better than cure.”
“They must practice social distancing and the five basic hygiene practices. And also to call the hotline number should they be experiencing any of the Covid-19 symptoms.”
The Australian Defence Force confirmed that the soldier who came to PNG as part of Australia’s defence cooperation programme, tested positive on June 18.
He was self-isolated on June 5 after complaining of a cold and flu-like symptoms.
The Australian High Commission has conducted contact tracing and provided information to local authorities.
National Pandemic Controller David Manning said the officer’s first and second tests at the PNG Institute of Medical Research both came back positive. “A third sample was sent to Queensland and came back as positive strong on Friday night,” he said.
He said “the risk of the Covid-19 in PNG remains very high”.
Acting Health Secretary Dr Paison Dakulala said any new public health measures in the coming days would depend on identifying contacts quickly, isolating them to prevent transmission.
“The pandemic is not over. PNG remains vulnerable.”
Anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms, fevers, coughs, sore throats, body aches or difficulty breathing must stay at home and immediately call the toll free line 1800-200.

 

14 comments

  • Bro that’s true, prevention is better then cure. Its very serious matter that all citizens must act responsible to fight against this evil pandemic which killing many people around the world. THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY.

  • Covid 19 is REAL! I’t does not have any restriction to any country, tribe or people. Thank God that He has raised up a leader before this disease started. PM JM came just in time! I admired his talks… He praises and Acknowledges God in the beginning of all his speeches.. That is how we are being protected. ALSO with the PRAYERS of ALL Christians in OUR COUNTRY… PRAISE GOD!!

  • We see that PNG hadn’t got into the extreme of Covid-19. There were many Christian whom they have been praying very hard to ensure the pandemic comes to stop in PNG.

    All are saved due so some committed Christian and prayer worriors who petitioned God for his mercy and grace to show in us. If other countries are going through tough times and PNG are relaxing away.
    My point to be stressed in here is that PEOPLE OF PNG should dedicate their wickedness and unrighteousness things to stop and repent to make change in their life.

    People are now persistently moving getting to Clubs, prostitution, profanity and other ungodly things are done. As a result the wrath of God will come upon us and that our inequities shall not be forgiven when his door of mercy id closed.

  • Every man and woman from this country should repent to God and start to live a godly life because God protects this nation very much. People like PO should lead his people into the house of God rather than grumbling like if the govt was his wife. Its about time the leaders should lead the way into the house of God. God says he belongs to the people of PNG so why not we voiced and say we belongs to God? Leaders need to lead by example at this crucial stage. God bless and protects PNG.

  • That’s the thing. PNG they say is a Christian country, but then they open night clubs and discos and haus pamuks were there is no social distancing at all. Church goers are people who behave and church leaders will know how to controll their people. It’s sad to see such double standard leadership.

  • Buai ban!? Buai sales is getting worse again! Thee needs to be a proper education to this group of people. People lack real common sense when in the chewing mode. It should be bad totally. I believe there are hundreds of ways to make it work with this group of bettlenut chewers to see the disaster they are pouring out in the community. This could be a possible gap for covid to worsen if not controlled well.

  • Buai ban!? Buai sales is getting worse again! Thee needs to be a proper education to this group of people. People lack real common sense when in the chewing mode. It should be bad totally. I believe there are hundreds of ways to make it work with this group of bettlenut chewers to see the disaster they are pouring out in the community. This could be a possible gap for covid to worsen if not controlled well.

  • Our habit of living our daily lives starting with our ancestors over the generations may hold some answers on why we are not quickly contracting the deadly virus- covic 19.

    This is not based on any concrete scientific analysis.

    I just express my confused state of mind as the deadly virus is gripping some of the most advanced nations of the world at an alarming rate while we relatively have very low cases.

    My confusion seem to emanate from the simple facts. That we eat any food we find, raw or roughly cooked, sleep in huts full of smoke from fire, bedbugs, fleas, cockroaches etc, no washing of hands, no regular baths, sleep in groups, stay very closed together in public or ceremonial gatherings and the list goes on.

    In the coming days and weeks, If there are still not many people contract the virus even after contact with the soldier like the 8 previous cases, one thing may be true as many Christians are saying that God is behind our protection.

    Another thing beyond religion is to engage in a scientific research to determine whether or not we have some form of antibodies or natural immunities which may be useful or helpful in curing other patients.

    Like other diseases covid 19 is here to stay so we must move on without further harming our economy by SoEs one after another. The real big damage will be an economic destruction that will put this country into receivership resulting in hardship like starvation for many households who depend on money income.

  • Have you ever questioned why the Coronavirus PANDEMIC has not so much as affected the larger population of PNG? Have you ever wondered why, for example, the lady who contracted the virus at Asaro in EHP has not passed on the virus to her husband and her immediate children and relatives? Knowing that we live in a communal society, interacting and coming into contact with the members of our community almost every day, is it not possible that the virus could have spread so easily to others?

  • The answer to avoid being contacted with the Virus depends on “personal Hygiene”, not selling of betel-nut.
    Will Buai Ban stops the Virus. Other countries do not sell buai but they still are contacted by the virus. So please enforce or implement “Personal Hygiene and Discipline yourself and family to avoid the Corona Virus.
    God will do his share to help us but first of all we have to control and monitor our movements and take take extra precautions .
    Our life depends on ourselves firstly and secondly from other.

  • PMJM should put a stop to the border crossers. Halt flights and ships entering PNG. Too much thinking and talking about the economy and riches of this country. People are the economy of the country. If people live, the economy will be rebuilt. Why sacrifice the lives of the people for money and riches?
    Keep COvid19 out of PNG. This virus is contracted by people coming in from overseas.
    PNG lived with the C19 symptoms for years. We are prone to the cold & flu, cough & sore throat, high and low temperatures. We eat without clean hands but we don’t die. because God loves this country and the people, he has protected us from this virus. Therefore to continue living the way we did, PMJM must put a stop on the borders.

  • God will continue to bless and protect PNG. However, He will also not tolerate immorality, corruption, moral decay, etc and divine judgement will fall accordingly at the right time.

Comments are closed.