Manning: Covid-19 Delta variant looming in PNG

PAPUA New Guinea needs to speed up its Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination efforts due to the ongoing and growing Delta variant threat to lives globally, National Control Centre (NCC) Controller and Police Comm David Manning says.
“All provincial health authorities, health care workers and those in the frontline must step up their efforts in the vaccination rollout to have all aged 18 and above vaccinated,” he added.
Comm Manning said there should be renewed vigour and urgency in achieving herd immunity as the Delta variant was spreading fast across the globe and PNG was no exception to the pandemic.
“All citizens must focus their attention on saving their lives and that of their loved ones through vaccination,” he said in a media statement released by the NCC.
“Citizens who received just one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine must ensure they get the second dose to fully develop anti-bodies against Covid-19.”
As of Tuesday, a total of 118,337 persons have received first and second doses of the vaccination.
However, Comm Manning wants to see the figure doubled in the coming months.
Meanwhile, only one new infection was reported on Tuesday, none on Wednesday and five on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to 17,812.
However, the NCC gave no information on the status of Delta variant and infections, if any.
To date, a total of 150,246 people have tested for the Covid-19.
All 22 provinces including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have reported cases.