Coronavirus ‘widespread’ in PNG capital

Papua New Guinea’s Pandemic Response Controller and Police Commissioner says Covid-19 is now “widespread” throughout the capital, Port Moresby.

Five new cases were confirmed yesterday and the commissioner, David Manning, said they were all in the National Capital District (NCD). Contact tracing efforts are being attempted in the city which went into lockdown on Monday, he said.

Port Moresby and the NCD are initially to be shut down for 14 days with a curfew between 10pm and 5am. All schools and non-essential businesses are closed.

Commissioner Manning told a media briefing on Thursday evening that confirmed cases had reached 72, with 54 known active cases. There are three critical cases, all in Pt Moresby hospitals, including one on a ventilator. He said the death toll remained at two.

“New cases today, case numbers 67 to 72, are all based in NCD. And from the case studies, or histories, what it tells us in the national control centre is that it is very much widespread in the city.”

Meanwhile, PNG’s deputy Pandemic Response Controller said authorities were playing catchup with contact tracing.

Paison Dakulala is hoping medical teams being dispatched from Australia will be able to help ramp up efforts. RNZ