PORT MORESBY, 02 APRIL 2021 (PNG GOVT) – Papua New Guinea has recorded 157 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, increasing the country’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 6,112.
Western Province reported 110 new cases of which 96 are males, 13 females and one not stated. Their ages range from 21 years to 67. Two cases were showing symptoms of COVID-19 whilst 102 cases were asymptomatic at the time of testing.
NCD reported 17 new cases of which all 17 are males. Their ages range from 22 years to 82. Six cases showed symptoms of COVID-19 whilst 11 were asymptomatic at the time of testing.
Morobe province reported two new cases of which all cases are males, with ages ranging from 28 to 41 years. All two cases were asymptomatic at the time of testing.
New Ireland province reported 11 new cases of which eight are males and three females. Their ages range from 27 years to 71. Two cases showed symptoms of COVID-19 whilst nine were asymptomatic at the time of testing.
East Sepik reported two new cases of which all cases are males. Their ages range from 14 years to 41. All two cases were asymptomatic at the time of testing. Central provinces reported 13 new cases of which 11 are males and two females. Their ages range from 22 to 53 years. Nine cases were asymptomatic whilst four cases showed symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing.
A 43-year-old male is the latest to be confirmed positive in Hela province. He was showing symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing.
Also, a 53-year-old male is the latest to be confirmed positive in Jiwaka province. The 53-year-old was showing symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing.
The country’s COVID-19 cases now stand at 6,112 with 60 known deaths.
NCD has recorded 48 COVID-19 related deaths whilst West Sepik has reported three deaths. West New Britain, Western Highlands and Western Province recorded two deaths each, whilst Enga, Jiwaka and Morobe recorded a death each respectively bringing the total number of deaths so far to 60.
Twenty provinces including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) have reported cases.
Meanwhile, the PNG COVID-19 national pandemic response was boosted this week with the delivery of 10 vehicles donated by the PNG LNG Project.
The vehicles were given to support the National Control Centre’s effort to fight against recent increase in COVID-19 outbreak in the Nation’s Capital.
Police Commissioner and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response David Manning said the vehicles will go a long way in assisting the PNG government efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Manning made this comment Thursday when receiving the vehicles from ExxonMobil PNG’s Managing Director, Andrew Barry, on behalf of the PNG LNG Project at the National Control Centre in Port Moresby.
“The two 25-seater buses, six mini-vans and two station wagons will greatly support the Centre’s COVID-19 response efforts to effectively move around and do contact tracing, community education, movement of Personnel Protection Equipment supplies and even test samples,” said Manning.
Manning said the donation from the PNG LNG Project has come at the right time to help stop the spread of COVID-19 cases which have been increasing daily, especially within the National Capital District in recent times.
“We greatly value and appreciate the assistance given by ExxonMobil PNG and the PNG LNG Project. With support such as this, I am confident that we will be able to curb the pandemic as we roll out the COVID-19 vaccines,” Manning said.
ExxonMobil PNG’s Managing Director,Barry, said as the Operator of the PNG LNG Project, the company is continuously looking at ways it can support the work that the National Control Centre was doing to prevent the spread.
“Partnership remains crucial in this fight to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are committed to doing our part to support the Government’s efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Barry said.
In 2020, ExxonMobil PNG donated Personnel Protection Equipment (PPE) materials to the provincial health authorities in Hela and Central Provinces where PNG LNG Project operates, and supported prevention awareness efforts to educate people on necessary preventative measures against the spread of the virus.
The PNG LNG Project is also donating vehicles to the Hela Provincial Health Authority and the Central Provincial Health Authority.
At the national level, the PNG LNG Project supported the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the COVID-19 National Control Centre with the donation of critical medical equipment and food rations through its partners to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
It has also assisted in flying NDoH supplies and materials between Port Moresby and the Hela Province, as well as the transportation of samples to the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province for testing.
