Briefs

ENB receives ambulances
EAST New Britain has received two ambulances from the St John Ambulance Services on Monday. Gazelle MP and Minister for Health and HIV/Aids Jelta Wong said with the support of St John Ambulance Services, four vehicles were shipped to support key areas in the country that had been affected by the Covid-19. “With the help of consort lines, we have shipped two ambulances to Lae and two ambulances to Rabaul,” he said.

District approves K250,000
Gazelle development authority in East New Britain has approved K250,000 to assist in awareness and identified activities in the district to stop the spread of the global pandemic Covid-19. The authority recommended that the state of emergency needed to strategise on ways to review funding to address all the issues due to the lockdown.

No reports of major crimes
THERE have been no reports of major crimes in East New Britain during the state of emergency period, police say. ENB police commander Snr Insp Joseph Tabali said the province was quiet and a curfew was still in effect in the villages and also in the towns as per the state of emergency controller’s directive.

Authorised shops to operate
POLICE in East New Britain say only authorised shops in Kerevat and Kokopo can operate from 8am-2pm while shops in Rabaul are to operate from 8am-3pm. Provincial police commander Snr Insp Joseph Tabali urged shop owners to obey the orders issued in the province.

Agencies team up
UNDER the leadership of PNG’s Joint Agency Taskforce, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and Australia, are teaming up to help the country prepare for and respond to Covid-19. The support package covers three critical areas: Establishing screening sites throughout PNG; Educating communities on risks and preventative measures; and, Essential personal protective equipment.

Unicef setting up tents
UNITED Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) is setting up more than 30 tents across PNG that health workers will use to conduct pre-triage screening procedures for patients with Covid-19 symptoms. At the screening sites, health workers will ask patients about their travel history and symptoms, including dry cough and fever, and if they had come in contact with a person confirmed to have Covid-19.

Office opens with few staff
THE office of the Immigration and Citizenship Authority will remain open with a minimum number of essential staff during the state of emergency period, an official says. Acting Chief Migration Officer Robert Kennedy said the office would continue to provide services to clients, corporate partners and non-citizens residing on short and long term basis in the country.

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AN Indonesian rebel leader Jeffery Bomai wants the PNG security forces to patrol the Fly River in Western province to prevent villagers from crossing the PNG-Indonesian border. Bomai, who was the Operassi Papua Merdeka (OPM) commander, said border villages of Dome, Yogi and Yungi in the Ningerum local level government in North Fly district were vulnerable to Covid-19.

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WESTERN administrator Robert Kaiyun has admitted that there are three confirmed Covid-19 cases in the North Fly district of the province. But he would not disclose the villages until he received an official report from the Health patrol team.

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THE Komo-Margarima district development authority in Hela was recently presented a cheque for K200,000 for training and awareness on Covid-19 at the Margarima rural hospital. Chief executive Mark Mendeai said the district also had the Komo airport that could also take international and domestic flights into Hela province.