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Port Moresby bracing for more restrictions as Covid-19 cases surge

By REBECCA KUKU
PORT Moresby residents are bracing themselves for more restrictions to movements and activities as eight new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday.
As the nation total surges to 27, of which 20 are from the capital city, Prime Minister James Marape said new measures would be announced today, including the “mandatory” wearing of masks in public in Port Moresby, to control community transmission.
The policing of the wearing of masks is expected to be explained today.
Marape called on city residents “not to be complacent or too relaxed because the Covid-19 is spreading”.
“All the health measures which have been repeatedly announced in the media must be taken seriously to save lives,” he said.
The eight new cases yesterday included two doctors and one laboratory technician, plus five students related to the Central Public Health Laboratory workers operating inside the Port Moresby General Hospital who had tested positive in the past week. The eight were identified through contact tracing of the recent positive cases. Marape urged residents experiencing symptoms of the Covid-19 to call the National Operations Centre toll free number 1800200.

Paison Dakulala

He said Port Moresby residents should now wear masks at all times in public places. The policing of that requirement is also expected to be explained today.
He promised that the Government would do its best to contain the spread of the pandemic.
“The Covid-19 is here to stay so we must stop it from spreading,” he said.
“It will not kill you if you follow simple health measures and wear face masks at all times in public places. Wash your hands with soap and water and maintain social distancing.
“It will not kill you if you follow simple health measures. Be responsible for the health of your family, community and country.”
Meanwhile, acting Health secretary Dr Paison Dakulala called on all companies to provide transport for workers so that they could avoid travelling by public transport.
“Public transport vehicles are not practising social distancing as they are supposed to. So you never know, you may pick it up from inside a bus and bring it to the office and workplace,” he said.

27 comments

  • Lab Workers
    Health Workers
    Getting sick?

    How can we handle this situation if the frontline workers are getting sick. What is the safety measures they talked much about. Funny they cannot practice what they teach.
    The future is not on our side.
    Is this according to Gods Plan, religious people?
    NO!!!
    God doesn’t have a plan for you too, grow up people, grow up.
    Make your own decision and and do the right thing. Take full control of your life.

    • Please someone already infected should get the virus over to the parliament house and let it spread there to kill the cancer of corruption. Corruption is killing the country so let’s kill it with the help of COVID-19. Corruption in politics kills more people than COVID-19.

  • Stop the PMV bus service. Drivers and their crews are simply uneducated about Covid-19. They are a threat to the well-being of the general public before it is too late.

  • Contain the threat in Port Moresby.
    Put restrictions and preventive measures in place (once again) to protect the livelihood of its people and country as a whole.
    Local and ProvincialTravel restrictions whether by air, road and sea must be implemented and monitored.
    Do what is necessary to combat this global trend (covid-19) so that it won’t spread to the other Major towns (centers) throughout PNG.
    PNG should not be complacent, there is no need to fuss about the finances spent and etc. There is so much said through social media in regards to finances associated the with covid-19 pandemic in PNG.

    Moreover, take heed to the warnings before it’s too late.
    Prevention is better than Cure.

    Nogut Yumi kros pait lo moni stap na sik nogut ya Bai wipim displa country.

  • Is PNG government is ready to face the pandemic or the reported cases are of fake, common cold and flu.
    The government of the day must be serious about the life of 8 million plus population and stop playing the dirty politics.
    Give trutru report na ol man meri mas save.

  • The only medicine is Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour. These sicknesses are coming to PNG cos we fail to turn to God. Lives in the cities will continue to deteriorate as most people continue to suffer daily. Let me say this on record, God Almighty will take care of His own whilst satan will attack his own including killings and destructions to human lives.

  • Just a theory from me:
    If Covid 19 cannot survive in temperatures of 28 degrees and above, we are now experiencing colder climate due to Winter in down south.
    So what is the normal daily temperature in POM around this period?
    Remember, at the start of the year the temperature in PNG was hot (above 28 degrees) and we had only 8 cases. Now in nearly 1 month the number of Covid19 cases has increased by 19!! Just a theory to wonder about…I could be wrong. Stay warm and practice the safe measures of Covid 19.

  • Please put ban to public places once again.
    Most of our population are still uncivilized about what is covid19.
    Our public places and utilities are at great risk of covid19.
    The attitudes and behaviors for most of our public affairs are uncontrolled and very dirty/sick, we always do not care of what we are doing, handling or produce especially the operating of the public transports and the informal setup markets around the cities are very dangerous and at risk at this pointing time of covid 19 pandemic.
    So please reinforce the ban once again for the sake of the health and well being of this nation and the whole world as a whole.

  • Contracting the virus is one thing. But people are not falling dead like leafs as we have seen in other western countries. Covid 19 has been here since Dec 2019 or as early as Jan 2020. Dying from COVID 19 is another thing. How many people in PNG have died of Covid 19 in PNG? Short answer is Zero. We have a robust Immune Defence Systems passed down from generations of living wild on the land with plants and animals.
    We will contract Covid 19, yes its here to stay like any other flu causing viruses. Our immune system will mount its immune response and make antibodies against it and the virus will not kill us.

    We should not panic but follow instructions from authorities and follow rules. How ever total lockdown will not do any good to the already struggling economy of our country.

  • The city authorities and government must stop all PMV. In such times, when faces with such a threat that could destroy a whole country’s economy, decisions must be tough and drastic. A strict lockdown has to be imposed. Close supermarkets in the afternoon. At food markets people need to maintain social distancing. Temperatures must be checked. Masks wearing should be made compulsory….stop buai and road side markets.
    This is no joke. If the government is not serious on this….then within a month time we might have up to 300 new infections.
    Also, consider reducing domestic flights with very strict controll. If it really gets worse then stop all domestic travel. It’s worth to make 2-3 months of sacrifice to save the country rather than being complacent.

  • No Panic!
    Settle down and and obey the rules government is putting in place.
    No pointing fingers at anyone. Dont blame God for any thing. Let us all check our selves and see whats going on around us. It all starts with me, myself and I.

  • When Marape government first extended the SoE period from April to June, some leaders and public figures were really vocal and criticized the government and the SoE controller. They demanded facts and figures to justify the extension and the Marape government went ahead. As soon as the SoE was lifted, people were still complaining and demanded to know the facts stating the extension was not necessary but was only to drain the pandemic funds. Where are these people now, can they advise the government what to do now? Or are you just sitting there waiting to bark when mistakes are made. Come out and cooperate with the government make a decision that will benefit everyone, its not something that concerns Marape government only.
    Please replace the Health Minister now with someone experienced in the medical field, who can work with other medical experts and the SoE controller and government. He is just taking up space to be used as a rubber stamp.
    The public has the power to reduce the number of infections, only if we cooperate, listen and follow the simple pandemic directives. A lockdown or SoE will not help unless the public obey the simple directives like.
    1. Wear Masks
    2. Wash hands
    3. Social Distancing
    4. Stay home
    5. Report quickly to a medical centre if you encounter any symptoms and signs of C19.

  • Bring back the old restrictions, control the peoples movements and it will show the clear pictures of how many were infected,

  • This is due to governments reckless handling of SOE rules of covid-19 in-placed. Government of the day had made the rules but didn’t follow them accordingly by this so called politicians. Classical example is Private Jet that was believed to be uncleared to land on the PNG land as well as breached SOE rules of this country.

    Now its time government must take heed in combating this pandemic. Make available the necessities (lab test kits and masks) to front-liners and do the lockdown again. Stop international flights as well as domestic flights now…

  • Lab workers and Health workers???? Seriously?? How could that be when they are the ones who are the fore front people equipped with equipments better than the rest of PNG? This pandemic must be considered really carefully with the full cooperation of everyone. Coz the lockdown experienced in the previous months caused a lot of damage and pain to the lives of the majority. Some people who are being employed by private business houses were laid off and some to date have been forced to be given their final salary because of loss of businesses during the lockdown. Anyways if we the people of PNG always say that this is a Christian country then why having doubts with our One True God????

  • The SOE Controller must ban all parties and drinking sessions in residential areas from now on until such time and make the wearing of face-masks compulsory when outdoors by imposing a K100 penalty if found moving around bear-faced!

  • the governmenet should come the people and not create panic. Tell every one, just follow the rules, we want to make sure the city continous as normal, but place sanitiser at public places, practice social distances and make people stay home only when they need to go to work and or pick up groceries,. People just roaming around nothing should be sent back to village of stay home and follow rules

  • Covid 19 is a virus and as such, it may adapt to our prevailing conditions. It is in our best interest to avoid infection which should be vigorously enforced by curfews and the immediate ban on domestic travel. In spite of what is said on the media, we are unable to deal with a major catastrophe particularly, in the other centres. The fact that front line workers are being infected and, have themselves become transmitters of this deadly virus raises serious doubts on our effectiveness to deal with this calamity. For a start, the government should impose fines of up to K500 for breach of covid-19 protocols.

  • Close all schools. C19 is vulnerable at schools where it can be very hard to control little minds to keep their distance and wearing masks at all times. Teachers are also now lazy and do not even care about the students.

  • Most of the patients is from the Lab, I think our testing labs has not enough safety equipment to run the test.
    Government has to look into this, PROPER TEST EQUIPMENT FOR THIS FRONT LINER especially for our HEALTH WORKER.

  • We were safe at first but due to our own fault of entertaining those four foreigners from china for their unknown business trip while our leaders ignore the fact of SOE rule and this is the outcome of the carbon trade so let us all take this as a business trip. NO ONE TO BE BLAME FOR BUT US

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