By Michelle Steven in Port Moresby
Pacific New Guinea’s National Capital City Covid-19 Task Force team is preparing ahead should there be a possible coronavirus case during the 14-day lockdown.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop told a media conference that the capital city would be in total lockdown with no public transport moving.
The National Capital City COVID-19 Task Force team is ready to respond.
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Parkop said Covid-19 was a global pandemic and there were many lessons to learn from developed countries like US, Italy, Spain, UK, Indonesia and Malaysia.
The governor said these restrictions were for the health and safety of every Papua New Guinean.
Maintaining social distancing when moving around but importantly everyone was urged to stay at home.
This lockdown would be a time to see if there would be any local transmission since the detection of PNG’s first case, an Australian mineworker who had since returned home.
Worst-case scenario
Governor Parkop said NCD was preparing for the worst-case scenario, adding it was better to be ready than sorry.
NCD, like everywhere else in the country, was on lockdown. However, people were still out and about, including public transport.
Governor Parkop said people were only allowed to move when seeking medical treatment or to do shopping.
He also said in cases where someone was sick and felt very ill, people could call the national hotline number on 1800200 or St Johns Ambulance on 111.
The governor said NCD would roll out testing centres in phases aligned with pandemic levels declared by NDOH at demarcated sites in the city.
At the moment, capacity was being developed at the following clinics – Gerehu, Tokarara, 9 Mile, 6 Mile, Lawes Road, Kaugere and with two mobile units.
Governor Parkop also said that it was a myth to say that the virus could not survive in hot climates or that black people could not get the virus.
Port Moresby had the same climate and temperature range as Indonesia, Singapore, Fiji, Malaysia and other countries that already had the virus with community spread and therefore everyone should be ready.
Michelle Steven is an EMTV News reporter. The Pacific Media Centre republishes EMTV News items in collaboration.
