Protocols to be imposed

The National Main Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
EASTERN Highlands Governor Peter Numu says mandatory mask-wearing, strict protocols at borders and intra-provincial measures will be imposed after a surge in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the province over the past week.
According to the provincial government and health authority, it would cost around K16 million to combat the rise in cases reported at the hospitals in the province.
“We are short of oxygen cylinders with Lae providing 10 cylinders, some for other patients and many for Covid-19 patients on Saturday morning, but it is not enough, it is still a big pressure to provide the right number of oxygen cylinders,” Numu said.
The National understands that another eight oxygen cylinders were delivered to Goroka on Sunday afternoon.
However, from sources on the ground, the Goroka Hospital needed 50 oxygen cylinders per day to deal with the continued critical patients moving into the hospital.
Due to the high number of patients going into the hospital and the five wards given for Covid-19 patients, Numu said the National Sport Institute (NSI) indoor complex would be converted into an isolation ward with the provincial administration given a week to convert NSI into an isolation ward.
He told The National in an interview that the calls he was receiving from ward councillors, presidents and supporters, painted a grim picture of the reality of the deaths which were described as “healthy people collapsing and dying”.
The provincial Covid-19 coordinating committee announced 11 measures to assist in minimising the threat in the province.
The measures include:

  • A CURFEW from 5pm to 6am every day;
  • NO gathering of no more than 20 people;
  • NO overcrowding of public motor vehicles;
  • CLOSURE of the main market at the peace park;
  • LIQUOR ban with only restaurants serving alcohol with food;
  • CLUBS and gambling establishment to remain closed;
  • CONTROL of customers in businesses premises will see the enforcement of the “Niupla Pasin” protocol;
  • MANDATORY mask-wearing with everyone to be masked wherever they are;
  • CLOSURE of the betel nut market at Kakaruk and Chuave markets;
  • SCHOOLS continue to operate, however, with strict practice in the Covid-19 protocols; and,
  • ROADBLOCKS to be observed at district borders to monitor movement.

“We will enforce the measures set by the Controller (David Manning), we will enforce the wearing of mask because of the severity of the cases at the hospital,” Numu said.
“We won’t be issuing penalties, however, we will be reminding them to wear their masks at all times.”