People urged to refrain from travelling to Indonesia

AN official of the Sandaun government has warned people to refrain from travelling to Indonesia and other countries because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) threat.
Timothy Teklan, chairman of the provincial coronavirus committee and deputy provincial administrator told health officials during a meeting in Aitape that people infected were mostly travellers.
“Cases of coronavirus are spread by people who are travelling and therefore we are restricting people from West Sepik to travel to other countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aitape-Lumi health manager Linda Hambrua said they would help the committee in conducting a two-week awareness in the Aitape-Lumi.
The awareness will be carried out in health centres to educate the people on what the virus is and how it will affect the body.
“PNG has a very weak health system and therefore we must be careful with our health,” Hambrua said.
Teklan said the province was working with officers from Immigration, Naqia (National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority), National Maritime Safety Authority, police and defence to monitor the movement of people in and out of West Sepik.
“We are targeting Aitape because most of our people in Malol, Arop, Warapu and Sissano often travel illegally to Indonesia,” he said.
Teklan said the provincial government has also closed down the border for an indefinite period to stop people from travelling to Batas for shopping and visiting Jayapura.
Dr Bolo Watoka, a physician with the Sandaun health authority said the virus was spread through close contact with people.