Capital city residents warned to follow rules

ACTING Health secretary Dr Paison Dakulala is urging everyone to take health measures against the Covid-19 seriously as the number of positive cases increased by 31 over the weekend.
As at 5pm yesterday, the capital city’s total jumped to 55 and the national total to 62. Out of the 62, 11 have recovered, one died and 50 are “active” cases.
Dr Dakulala, also the deputy National Pandemic Controller, made the call when announcing 31 new cases in Port Moresby over the weekend.
“We cannot afford to play around. The cases are being reported every day now,” he said.
“The new cases were confirmed today (yesterday) and they are now all at the Rita Flynn isolation facility.”
Of the new cases, four were classed as “mild”. One person had difficulties in breathing so was put on an oxygen machine but was improving. All are Papua New Guineans except for an expatriate employed by a government organisation.
Dr Dakulala said one of the cases was a staff with the Health Department headquarters at Aopi Building which went through a decontamination process. The building will be opened this week.
“Rita Flynn has a 72-bed capacity. When we reach the capacity, we may have to consider other possibilities, including home quarantine,’’ he said.
He said the most of the cases at the Rita Flynn health facility were “mild” cases. Dr Dakulala said quarantine and contact tracing measures had been initiated and contacts of positive cases were being advised to home-quarantine and not to move around for 14 days.
They have been advised to call the hotline 1800 200 should they experience any symptoms of the Covid-19 such as fever, body ache or flu.
“If they are feeling unwell, they only have to call the hotline and we will send response teams to their residence to assist. Please comply with all Covid-19 health protocols. Stay at home. Do not move around. Help us to stop the spread,” Dr Dakulala said.
“As of (Saturday, July 25), there were 9,885 people tested. Tests are being scaled up in Port Moresby and other districts too. There are currently 535 tests pending results – 300 are at a laboratory in Brisbane and 235 in Singapore.”

Department office closed, workers told to go home

HEALTH Department staff were sent home on Friday after one was tested positive for the Covid-19.
Spokesman Simon Pauria told The National that staff who arrived at work on Friday gathered at the car park and told to go home.
A disinfection team in protective clothing arrived at the Aopi Building in Port Moresby for the decontamination exercise.
Acting Health secretary Dr Paison Dakulala confirmed that a staff working for the department was tested positive for the Covid-19 and the building had to be closed by the landlord Nambawan Super.
Staff are expected to return to work today.
“Things will go back to normal by Monday,” Dr Dakulala said
He told The National that the decontamination of the building was a decision taken by the landlord.
“That decision of the whole building structure was made by the landlord. I told them that it is in order because we needed to decontaminate the place.
“We will put in place the new normal for staff coming back to work on Monday,” he said.

Stop spreading fake news, social media users told

PORT Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi has called on people to stop spreading false information about the Covid-19 on social media.
He said it not only affected the morale of health workers, but also, created fear among members of the public.
Dr Molumi met hospital staff on Saturday shortly after two colleagues were tested positive for the Covid-19. He told them that they would stand together as a team to face whatever challenges came their way and continue to treat patients.
“The main concern was mostly staff shortage after some members who came in contact with the positive patients had to be quarantined.”
He said the hospital ran a busy schedule attending to emergencies for more than a million people in Port Moresby, Central and Gulf.
There are also referrals from other parts of the country to deal with.
“Some patients may have been affected by this and we will do everything we can to address the issues at hand and get the emergency department to function fully as it is the face of the hospital,” he said.
Dr Molumi called on emergency department staff members not to be distracted from their work.
“Our challenge is to continue to attend to all emergencies to save lives and at the same time ensure we and our patients are safe from the Covid-19,” he said.