Test samples return: Doc

By LULU MARK
THE long-awaited results of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) test samples sent to the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia, returned after three weeks on Thursday revealing 13 new Omicron and 25 Delta cases, an official says.
National Pandemic Response deputy controller Dr Daoni Esorom said the newly-recorded variants were part of the 333 cases that were recorded that day.
He said the next day, 329 new cases were recorded, including eight deaths.
Esorom said so now the total confirmed cases in the country, as of Friday, was 39,909 of which 37,706 had recovered and 1,567 were active (diagnosed in the last 14 days) while 636 had died and 733 were Delta cases and 14 were Omicron.
He said the new Omicron cases were reported from three different provinces: National Capital District (eight), Central (three), and New Ireland (two) while previous one was from Eastern Highlands.
Esorom said the (25) new Delta cases came from Manus (12) and Gulf (three).
“The outcomes from the Delta cases were not reported to the National Control Centre by the provincial health authorities,” he said.
“We received the results from the Doherty Institute in Melbourne (on Thursday) after three weeks.
“As I keep saying these are late results that we are receiving.”
He said an internal assessment had placed Milne Bay with NCD as the most high risk provinces.
“The two provinces have been reporting a high number of cases in the past few weeks,” he said.
Esorom urged people to adhere to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) protocols to limit the spread of the virus which could lead to over-crowding at health facilities.
“Many health facilities in the country are complaining of a shortage of medical supplies,” he said.
“Let’s not put more pressure on the health system by adhering to the ‘Niupela Pasin’; wear a mask in public, cover your mouth when you cough or cough into your elbow, sanitise or wash your hands with soap often, avoid crowds and social distance when in public.”
In terms of vaccination, as of Thursday, 243,773 people were fully vaccinated.