COVID-19 News Updates 16.10.2020

 

Country CasesConfirmed Deaths
French Polynesia 3573 (2487 recovered) 13
Fiji 32 (30 recovered) 2
New Caledonia 27 (27 recovered) 0
Papua New Guinea 578 (537 recovered) 7
Solomon Islands 3 0
Vanuatu 0 0
Cook Islands 0 0
Tonga 0 0
Samoa 0 0
Niue 0 0
Kiribati 0 0
FSM 0 0
Palau 0 0
Tuvalu 0 0
Marshall Islands 0 0
Nauru 0 0


Note: The above data is sourced from the official website of the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization. It may update untimely or inconsistency with the relevant data in the article sourced from local news. 

https://who.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/345dfdc82b5c4f6a815f1d54a05d18ec

 

PNG PM expresses gratitude to United Nations and China for donating 30 ventilators 

 

According to news released by PNG Government on 13 October, Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, has expressed Government’s appreciation to the United Nations and the Chinese government for donating 30 ventilators to assist in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were officially presented to Prime Minister Marape witnessed by new Minister for Health Dr Sir Puka Temu in Port Moresby on 12 October.

Prime Minister Marape said since the first COVID-19 case was detected in PNG early this year, many of its bilateral and development partners including the United Nations, China, Australia, America and other friends helped the country cope with the pandemic.

“We, the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, really appreciate the help and support from China and the family of the UN through its United Nations Development Program Resident Office here in the country.

“Their help with these 30 ventilators will go a long way in helping patients and persons suspected of COVID-19, who have difficulty breathing and are admitted to our health facilities in the country.

“I thank the UN Resident Coordinator Mr Gianluca Rampolla and the Ambassador of China, Xue Bing, who are here today to formally hand over the ventilators to us. ”

Prime Minister Marape said the country’s health care system had a total of 40 beds with ventilators before COVID-19 was detected.

He said the help from UNDP and the Chinese Government was a great relief in containing  spread of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Marape said the Government was looking beyond COVID-19 and would ensure that whilst resources were put into the fight against community transmission, other essential health care services would not be compromised.

Source: PNG Government

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/13/marape-expresses-gratitude-to-united-nations-and-china-for-donating-30-ventilators/

 

PNG Enga records first COVID-19 case

 
According to news released by PNG Government on 14 October, the first coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case was reported in Enga Province at that day, while two more cases were also reported in the NCD in the last 24 hours bringing PNG’s total COVID-19 cases to 578. (There were no cases of COVID-19 reported on 15 October.)

The case in Enga is a 40-year-old male from Wabag who had a fever and cough. He was admitted to a hospital and his COVID-19 test returned positive.

Controller of the National Pandemic Response, David Manning, said the two COVID-19 cases in the National Capital District (NCD) bring the capital’s total confirmed cases to 336. The NCD cases consisted of an asymptomatic 23-year-old male and a 42-year-old male who had fever, cough and chills. Both reside in Moresby South electorate.

To date, 14 provinces in the country have confirmed cases: NCD(336); Western Province(202); Eastern Highlands (11); Central(7); Morobe(5); West New Britain(5); East Sepik(3); East New Britain(2); Milne Bay(2);  Southern Highlands(1); West Sepik(1); New Ireland(1); Enga(1); Autonomous Bougainville Region(1).

To date, Papua New Guinea had tested 26,690 persons for coronavirus. An additional 312 samples are pending laboratory results. There are 537 people who have recovered from COVID-19 while there are 34 active cases that are being isolated. The country’s death toll from COVID-19 remains at seven.

In the past week:

  • 15 October: no new COVID-19 cases reported in the country.

  • 14 October: 3 new cases (1 from Enga and 2 from NCD) bringing the total number to 578.

  • 13 October: 10 new cases from Eastern Highlands bringing the total number to 575.

  • 12 October: 11 new cases from Western Province bringing the total number to 565.

  • 11 October: 3 new cases from NCD bringing the total number to 554.

  • 10 October: 1 new case from NCD bringing the total number to 551.

  • 9 October: 1 new case from NCD bringing the total number to 550.

  • 8 October: 3 new cases from NCD bringing the total number to 549.

Source: PNG Government

15 October: MANNING CALLS FOR INCREASED VIGILANCE AGAINST COVID-19 ALONG THE HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/16/manning-calls-for-increased-vigilance-against-covid-19-along-the-highlands-highway/

14 October: ENGA RECORDS FIRST COVID-19 CASE – PNG TOTAL AT 578

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/14/enga-records-first-covid-19-case-png-total-at-578/

13 October: EASTERN HIGHLANDS RECORDS 10 NEW COVID-19 CASES : PNG’S TOTAL REACHES 575

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/14/eastern-highlands-records-10-new-covid-19-cases-pngs-total-reaches-575/

12 October: WESTERN PROVINCE REPORTS 11 NEW COVID-19 CASES

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/12/western-province-reports-11-new-covid-19-cases/

11 October: NCD REPORTS 3 NEW COVID-19 CASE: BRINGING PNG TOTAL TO 554

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/11/ncd-reports-3-new-covid-19-case-bringing-png-total-to-554/

10 October: NCD RECORDS ANOTHER COVID-19 CASE : PNG TOTAL AT 551

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/11/ncd-records-another-covid-19-case-png-total-at-551/

9 October: 11-YEAR-OLD TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 – PNG CASES REACH 550

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/11/11-year-old-tests-positive-for-covid-19-png-cases-reach-550/

8 October: THREE NEW COVID-19 CASES REPORTED IN NCD BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 549

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/08/three-new-covid-19-cases-reported-in-ncd-bringing-the-total-to-549/

Relevant News:

International arrivals in PNG to wear GPS ankle bracelet, Eastern Highlands records 10 new COVID-19 cases

http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=14339575865f8688589c9969b067ef

CONTROLLER DIRECTS COMPULSORY GPS TRACKING ANKLE BRACELETS FOR INCOMING INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/index.php/2020/10/13/controller-directs-compulsory-gps-tracking-ankle-bracelets-for-incoming-international-passengers/

Documents：

https://covid19.info.gov.pg/files/Directives/Directive%20for%20entry%20into%20PNG.pdf

 

Fiji is COVID-free

 
According to news released by Fiji Sun on 15 October, Fiji's Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr James Fong, has confirmed that the two remaining COVID-19 patients that were in isolation at the Lautoka Hospital have been cleared of the virus and discharged.

He confirmed that as of 14 October, there was no active case of the virus in the country.

“The remaining two patients had been cleared on 13 October from the Lautoka isolation facility and as of today (14 October) there are no cases in isolation as they have all recovered and cleared. We are happy that we are finally able to discharge the last two cases on Monday(12 October ).” Dr James Fong said. 
Dr Fong has requested the public to maintain vigilance and continue to adhere to COVID-19 State measures in place. 
“We need to understand that the risk still remains but they are mitigated by our strong quarantine measures. 
“Fiji still faces the threat of the introduction of COVID-19 into the country and in order for Fiji to survive we must allow our citizens to come back and we need to allow people who facilitate economic recovery to come back,” Dr Fong said.

Source: FIJI SUN

https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/10/15/fiji-is-covid-free-confirms-dr-fong/

or FBC NEWS

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/covid-19/fiji-is-covid-19-free/

Relevant News：

No quarantine for Fiji visitors from COVID-contained countries

http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=6894895475f879e1e3a23f912338e0

 

COVID-19 Situation Update of French Polynesia

 
According to the newest update from the Ministry of Health on covid-19 as of 14 October, a 13th death linked to COVID-19 was confirmed.

To date, a total of 3,511 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed since July 15. Of these, 2,425 were released from isolation and 1073 cases are being followed up (active cases). 

(The above data does not include the 62 people who have been confirmed and recovered from the first phase of the epidemic).
Source: French Polynesia Presidence

 

UPDATE ON THE CORONAVIRUS AS OF OCTOBER 14

https://www.presidence.pf/point-de-situation-sur-le-coronavirus-au-18sept-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/

UPDATE ON THE CORONAVIRUS AS OF OCTOBER 12

https://www.presidence.pf/point-de-situation-sur-le-coronavirus-au-18sept-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/

UPDATE ON THE CORONAVIRUS AS OF OCTOBER 09

https://www.presidence.pf/point-de-situation-sur-le-coronavirus-au-18sept-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/

 

Solomon Islands reports 3rd Confirmed Case of COVID-19

 

According to news released by Solomon Times on 15 October, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare confirmed that there is another confirmed case of COVID-19 in a special Nationwide address.

All of those three confirmed cases were students who had recently been repatriated from the Philippines. The student who recently being tested positive is now in isolation.

Sogavare says that despite the new confirmed COVID-19 case the risk for community transmission remains low. He reassures the public that the outbreak is still limited to those in qurantine.

Sogavare reminds students that they have a collective responsibility to ensure that COVID-19 does not spread beyond the quarantine facilities.

Solomon Times

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/breaking-3rd-confirmed-case-of-covid19/10332

Relevant：

Covid 19 coronavirus: Second case confirmed in Solomon Islands

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-second-case-confirmed-in-solomon-islands/YT4DRRYRGUWQPNEPNGRUFVLXBY/