Dept step up after reports of more death from virus

By LULU MARK
THE Health Department has stepped up its coronavirus (2019 – nCoV) response as China reports an increase in the number of cases and deaths, officials said on Friday.
World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative Dr Luo Dapeng said as of 8am (Fri) China recorded 61,161 cases of coronavirus of which 4,821 were severe and 636 deaths.
Of the deaths, he said 80 per cent were 60 years old and above and 75 per cent of them had at least one underlying condition.
He said there were 216 reported cases outside China. Which means 99 per cent of the cases are in China in the Wuhan area which was the epicenter of the outbreak.
Dapeng said WHO was working with partners to strengthen global response starting with improved diagnostic capacity which would improve surveillance.
“In the meantime, WHO has advised all member countries, including PNG, to prepare and contain any possible import of disease and prevent possible community transmission,” he said.
Acting Health secretary Dr Paison Dakulala said in addition to the help desk set up at Jackson International Airport and other ports of entry, equipment would be brought in to assist in the screening processes.
Dakulala said this would include the equipment to check temperature such as infrared temperature checks.
“Eventually when we get through to the budget process in our plans then we will get the machines that will help in the whole process but it would take some time,” he said.
He said some of the development partners have been asked to assist in improving the response mechanism and the department was awaiting their response.
Dakulala said the shipping ports of call where the screening process was happening were Motukea in Port Moresby, Lae and Rabaul, hence all the vessels coming in from outside were advised to stop for checks.
He added that provinces were also asked by way of a circular to set up their response system.
“There is no evidence of this particular virus in our country,” Dakuala said.
“The health message of personal hygiene is the key in the prevention efforts. The protective devices are mainly for those who are in the high-risk areas which include the people in the screening areas who need to be properly attired.
“The biggest issue is our capacity and that’s what we are working on to step up our numbers should we get into an outbreak.”