Madang reports 28 virus cases

By GLORIA BAUAI
THE Madang health authority confirmed 28 positive Covid-19 cases in the province on Thursday.
Authority chief executive officer Fidelis Waipma said the first case recorded a week prior was a 24-year-old male employee of James Barnes Globe factory, who resides at Bilia.
Waipma said the other cases were identified through two contact tracings carried out and were confirmed to be in contact with the initial index case.
The 28 cases, plus seven reported in West Sepik on Sunday, have brought the total number of cases in Papua New Guinea to 945.
Waipma said he was concerned that the risk of community transmission was very high.
“This is a meat-processing factory and many people work together in close proximity of each other,” he said.
“Most employees live in settlements and urban villages where there’s a huge population.
“There’s also the likelihood of a potential increase because of the current wet season the province is experiencing.”
Waipma said the province has a Covid-19 ward built at the Yagaum Lutheran District Hospital but it still lacked beds and other necessary equipment.
“We do not have a proper quarantine or isolation centre at the moment,” he said.
“Because all our positive cases are asymptomatic, we’re encouraging self-isolation for now.”
Waipma said K1.5 million was allocated to the Madang health authority for Covid-19 by the Health Department.
But he said only K750,000 was released last November.
“This money has not been touched and still remains in our health services improvement programme account,” Waipma said, adding that a big chunk of the money would go towards surveillance and awareness.
“Once we send our acquittals back to the Health Department, they will release the remainder of our K1.5 million.”
In the meantime, the health authority has increased its surveillance with two teams covering the north coast following the highway up to Bogia and Madang to Lae, including Madang town.