Plans for incubation centre

By REBECCA KUKU
THE Government plans to build an incubation centre in seven days at the old airport terminal in Port Moresby to quarantine passengers from coronavirus-affected countries, Civil Aviation Minister Lekwa Gure says.
A construction company has assured Gure and officials that the centre can be completed in seven days.
“We hope to have this incubation centre set up so that passengers from affected countries can be held there for 14 days before being released,” he said.
“We also have the incubation centre at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
“It will be mainly for treating suspected cases. The one we hope to put up at 7-Mile will be just for incubation, or perhaps we can say isolation.
“So like students and citizens in affected country who are returning home from the affected countries, we can keep them at the incubation centre for 14 days.”
A submission has been prepared for Cabinet’s approval.
Gure also said Air Niugini and Philippines Airline had been advised to comply with measures put in place by the Government to protect the country from the coronavirus.
“They will check medical certificates of passengers from Asian ports before allowing them to board the planes,” he said.
Meanwhile, China’s ambassador to PNG Xue Bing has supported the call by Prime Minister James Marape that all PNG citizens in China remain in their homes.
Xue said travelling out would put them at risk of contracting the coronavirus.
“Currently, there are 500 PNG citizens in China, mostly students,” he said.
“They are being taken good care of by the Chinese authorities. They are being provided necessary stuff like food and water and masks and other cleaning services.”