PNG COVID-19 Updates : Nine New cases in Port Moresby

 A total of nine new COVID-19 cases had been reported in the National Capital District (NCD) in the last 24 hours.

The new cases comprised of four women and five men, with ages ranging from 18 to 60 years old.

Three of the nine cases had contact with a previous positive case.

The new cases were detected from the various swab collection sites in NCD: Drive Thru Testing at Taurama Aquatic Center (4); Rita Flynn (3); Port Moresby General Hospital (1) and a Community Testing Center (1).

“We are identifying cases from different parts of the city, further reinforcing that we have community transmission," said Controller of the National Pandemic Response, Mr David Manning.

With the latest increase in the COVID-19 cases in the nation’s capital, Mr Manning has urged citizens to strictly adhere to prevention measures, further calling on them to come forward for COVID-19 testing.

“Testing for COVID-19 enables us to identify cases quickly, provide them with appropriate care, and quarantine their contacts. Thus, I urge Papua New Guineans to get tested if you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. Knowing your status can prevent you from spreading the virus to your family and friends,” Mr Manning said.

The Controller says health facilities throughout the country must do swabbing according to the testing strategy and send the samples to laboratories for testing

To date, PNG has a total of 526 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 13 provinces: NCD (311); Western Province (189); Central (7); Morobe (5); East Sepik (3); East New Britain (2); West New Britain (2); Milne Bay (2); and one case each from Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands, West Sepik, New Ireland and Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Seven COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed as of 19 September.

Globally, the total confirmed cases are now 30,975,784 and the death toll stands at 960,963. There was an increase of 290,385 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.

In the Western Pacific region, a total of nine countries/territories had confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases for the region to 577,758 cases and 12,640 deaths.

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