Esorom: Authorities must be alert, proactive

THE Provincial Health Authorities (PHA) must be alert and be proactive in dealing with the imminent fourth Coronavirus (Covid-19) Omicron surge, National Pandemic Response deputy controller Dr Daoni Esorom says.
“We expect a surge and we will be calling up the PHAs to see how their preparedness is,” he said.
“We have been through this over the two years and now it should be routine.
“The most important thing the pharmaceutical interventions measure that need to be put in place, increasing testing, making sure the positive cases are managed within the hospital to prevent severe disease and deaths and most importantly vaccination plus boosters.
“NCC put in the strategies and the authorities should know how to prepare in terms of having enough mask, personal protective equipment, vaccinating people and boost the health system.”
Dr Esorom said 22 new Covid-19 cases were recorded last Monday, bringing the total to 36,570 of which 128 were newly diagnosed in the last 14 days and active while 35,846 have recovered and 597 were deaths.
He said the 22 cases were recorded from the National Capital District (13), East New Britain (5), Central (2) and Jiwaka (2).
Of these cases, 708 were Delta cases and one was Omicron. These numbers were expected to increase as more samples were sent to Melbourne for genome sequencing.