Hospital admits 40 Covid-19 patients

THE Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) has 40 Coronavirus (Covid-19) patients admitted as of Wednesday, its medical services director Dr Kone Sobi says.
“Eight children with underlying medical conditions are among the patients; the total Covid-19 hospital admissions since the start of the fourth surge on Jan 21 is 50 and all were mild cases,” Sobi said.
“Most (of these cases are) with underlying medical or surgical conditions; 10 have been discharged to date.
“Oxygen consumption is minimal in all patients and no patient is critically ill from the Covid-19 other than the underlying comorbidities.
“This is in contrast to the experience of the third surge last September and October”.
Sobi said only two people had died from the Covid-19 in the hospital this year.
“The beginning of the fourth surge in the hospital on Jan 21 saw a total of 560 tests for the Covid-19, of which 404 were tested positive,” he said.
“The overall positivity rate in the hospital is 72 per cent.
“About 50 per cent of the new infections are among people who are unvaccinated.
“The first batch of samples were packed and dispatched to Australia for genome sequencing on Jan 25.”
Sobi said the results were yet to be returned to reveal whether the variant was Delta, Omicron or another.
“Since the start of the surge, 140 staff were tested positive for the Covid-19 with mild infections and were advised to isolate at home,” he said.
“Most have returned to work as of Wednesday, but 10 are still in isolation.
“We are continuing with our surveillance and testing, but currently, there is no indication to scale down on any essential clinical services, however, we must emphasise to the public to maintain vigilance and refrain from activities that may cause harm and injury.”