PINA

Papua New Guinea is now grappling with a surge in the deadly (Covid-19 Delta variant, with cases tripling from 30 on 01 September, to 97 on Sunday.

National Pandemic Response Deputy Controller Dr Daoni Esorom said the Covid-19 death toll had also risen to 227, including 17 deaths last week 20 September to 26.

The 30 new Delta cases were reported in the National Capital District (NCD), West Sepik, Central, Morobe, Hela and Milne Bay.

“As of Monday, 67 new cases of the Delta variant have been reported.

“NCD has 23 cases of the Delta variant, with West Sepik 35, Central four, Morobe two, Hela one and Milne Bay two,” Esorom said.

“Data shows that there has been ongoing transmission from August to the early weeks of September.”

On 17 August, there was one Delta case in Central which was imported from the Philippines.

“Central also began detecting Delta cases on first and second weeks of September.

“Morobe and Milne Bay began detecting cases in the first week of September.

“NCD is experiencing a Delta surge beginning in late August into September,” Dr Esorom said.

The hotspots for the Delta variant are Alotau, Lae, NCD, Vanimo, Kairuku, Exxon plant site and Oil Search Moro.

The age groups affected is those from age 31 to 40, followed by those over 50, 41 to 50, and 19 to 30.

The data suggests an in-country Delta transmission.
Dr Esorom said 18,381 people had recovered.

“We have a very good recovery rate – around 98 per cent,” he said.

During a 24-hour period on Monday, 118 new cases were reported.

He said surges had been recorded in Western, West Sepik and Eastern Highlands, with Morobe, Western Highlands, NCD and Enga also reporting a hike in cases.

“So the situation is very fluid,” Esorom said.

“It can change within days.

“That’s what we are seeing at the moment.”

West Sepik recorded 635 cases and eight deaths, with 584 recovered and 45 in isolation.

Western on Monday diagnosed 15 new cases but no deaths.

“Western since the beginning of the outbreak recorded 3,138 cases and 20 deaths. Around 2,800 people have recovered,” he said.

Eastern Highlands recorded 43 new cases over the 24-hour period on Monday.

Meanwhile, five Covid-19 deaths were reported in Mt Hagen Hospital in the last 13 days, with 28 health staff testing positive for the virus, Western Highlands Health Authority acting chief executive officer Jane Holden says.

“The province recorded 287 cases from 17CSeptember and we believe more people had been infected and are at home.

“Another seven deaths were reported in Gia and Kiripia in Tambul-Nebliyer, near Southern Highlands’ Imbonggu,” she added.

Holden said the number of new infections would rise if more people volunteered to be tested for the Covid-19.

She said the seven deaths occurred after the victims reported short illness with shortness of breath.

“More positive cases are coming from Gia and Kiripia areas at the moment,” she added.

Holden said many Covid-19 infected people could be living in communities and only testing would verify for treatment and isolation at an early stage.

“The isolation unit is also full with 11 patients waiting for admission.

“The management is trying to open another 12 beds yesterday and hopefully 20 by today.

“However, once we have those full, we will have no further capacity because we believe many more could turn up.

“We want people to come forward for testing so that they can be treated and isolated if positive,” she added.

Holden said people’s behaviour needed to change because if they refused to come for testing, they were putting the lives of others at risk. “Only a few people are getting the vaccine.

“We want to see a massive increase in number of people getting the vaccine but it is not happening.

“Vaccine is free but they seem to have the couldn’t-care-or-less mentality because of misinformation.

“People need to change their attitude and adhere to the new normal protocol.

“We are sensing danger and the public must turn up at the hospital to be tested or vaccinated,” she pleaded.

In another development, a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in Eastern Highlands has prompted a large number of people to turn up for vaccination at the Goroka Provincial Hospital.

Covid-19 vaccination assistant staffer at the centre Jeffery Majike said since the hike early this month, many people were coming in for jabs.

He said those people had not been serious about getting vaccinated, but since the surge from 03 September, there seemed to be a change of mind.

“On Monday and Tuesday, 168 people came to get their jabs.

“We anticipate that more people will be coming before the end of the week,” Majike said.

He said individuals, families, partners, groups, businesses and organisations were turning up each day for jabs.

While numbers were not available immediately, Majike said “quite a number of them” had been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Eastern Highlands Health Authority (EHPHA) chief executive officer Dr Joseph Apa said there was no other effective way of preventing infection apart from vaccination.

He said the health message was for people to practise the new normal.

“I am glad to see more people getting vaccination. It is good because this will eventually kill the virus and make Eastern Highlands Covid-19-free,” Dr Apa said.

SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS

Border restrictions to the Cook Islands have been extended until November.

A statement from Prime Minister Mark Brown’s office late Tuesday afternoon said Cook Islands will further extend its travel advisory restricting inward arrivals to the nation until 11.59pm on Thursday 04 November 2021.

Hi announcement came after it was revealed there were 45 new cases in Delta community outbreak in New Zealand on Tuesday – the highest number in three weeks.

“Today’s cabinet decision to extend the current travel advisory from 27 September until 04 November was based on the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) and Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health (TMO),” Brown said.

“Both ministries advised that with the return of the stranded Cook Islanders from New Zealand scheduled for next month, the highest possible precautions should continue to be taken.”

Extending the travel advisory until 04 November would mean that those returning to the Cook Islands on the second repatriation flight would have cleared managed isolation quarantine seven days prior, on Thursday 28 October, Brown said.

It would allow “invaluable” time for the Border Easement Taskforce and cabinet to reassess whether settings had been met for the safe resumption of regular inwards travel, and to “pivot staffing and other officials towards this resumption if determined safe to do so at that point”, Brown added.

Meanwhile,there is fear among Cook Islands parents and caregivers as the day for youth vaccinations looms.

The National Auditorium echoed with voices of dissent as the first of several consultation meetings was hosted by Te Marae Ora late Monday.

New Zealand is providing the vaccines and has bought enough supplies of the Pfizer vaccine to cover its own population as well as 12 to 15 year olds in the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau; known as ‘the Realm Countries’.

Secretary of Health Bob Williams, director of hospital health services Dr Yin Yin May and paediatric registrar Dr Donna Mokoroa fronted as members of the public questioned the validity of the vaccine rollout and made claims it could contribute to harmful long term health effects.

It is estimated there are just over 1200 young people in the 12 to 15 years age range in the Cook Islands.

Williams told Cook Islands News the vaccine is expected to arrive next week and Te Marae Ora will start vaccinating on Friday 08 October.

A parent of three 12-year-old children told Dr May she had concerns about the long term effects of vaccination.

She asked Dr May if there was accredited proof of the long term effects.

Dr May said she could provide evidence, there had been studies, and there were no long term effects.

Another parent said she was concerned about the reported adverse effects of the vaccine.
“We need fully informed consent which I don’t think is being provided.”

She claimed it contributed to menstrual disorders and that studies had shown it did not breakdown in the body.

“There is no long term safety, how do we know about long term effects, we need long term studies.

“I think all parents should have all the facts.”

A fact sheet handed to attendees by Te Marae Ora stated a parent of caregiver’s consent together with the child’s consent is preferable, if the child is competent to consent.

Vaccination is not compulsory in the Cook Islands “but the world is changing, and vaccination may well become a need for travelling or school environment”, the document said.

Williams told those gathered there may be a time when Cook Islands has to live with Covid-19.

Another audience member asked what public health measures would need to be put in place to take care of Covid-19.

“It means you can be forced to vaccinate your children, you can be imprisoned.”

Williams said that was not the case . . . “We have said it is voluntary, we are not directing anyone to get their children vaccinated.”

Another audience member stood and said; “This is not a vaccination, it is an experimental jab, any danger is on your heads.”

Williams responded; “There are no other people that know more about your health than these doctors.”

The meeting continued with multiple claims the vaccination programme was irresponsible, unnecessary, not future proofed and not affective against the Delta variant.

Following the meeting, Williams told Cook Islands News; “We did expect the kind of questions we got as some have already raised their concerns on social media.”

Questions and comments were well noted and taken on board, he added.

“Some people came already knowing that they will not support the vaccination but it is encouraged that people look at what’s happening globally with Covid-19.

“We are Covid-19 free but the future may not be same for the Cook Islands, so it is important for us to take that into consideration in our decision making; the evidence from other countries experience is that the benefit of vaccination reduces the risk of being hospitalised for Covid-19.”

More meetings are scheduled for Tereora College at 4.30pm today and Thursday at Titikaveka College from 5pm.

“We also have next week for another opportunity for other schools if they still want another session before Friday 08 October ,” Williams said.

SOURCE: COOK ISLANDS NEWS/PACNEWS