PINA

There is no recorded Covid-19 Delta variant in the country so far, although the risk of it entering is high, says Papua New Guinea Pandemic Response deputy controller Dr Daoni Esorom. He was responding to claims that it could be in the country already but yet to be detected because of the low level of testing. Dr Esorom said the National...

An environmental official stressed that climate change is “the single greatest threat” to Pacific peoples' livelihoods and security as he highlighted the devastating effects of extreme weather events caused by climate change. For Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2021 (APCW2021), which will run between July 6-9, Joseph Sikulu, interim managing director of 350 Pacific, and organiser George Nacewa, spoke to Anadolu Agency...

Japan's Prime Minister has told Pacific Islands leaders that his country would ensure no harm will come to the environment from dumping treated nuclear waste water into the ocean. Yoshihide Suga hosted an online Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting with leaders from 16 Pacific countries, including Australia and New Zealand. He responded to concern among Pacific Islands Forum countries about Japan's plans...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape is urging bilateral partners to open up an economic bubble that will allow export and trade in the region to help ease the economic strain impacting the Pacific Islands due to Covid-19. Marape made the appeal during the 9th Pacific Alliance Leaders’ Meeting (PALM 9) that was held virtually Friday. He told the leaders...

Fiji has reported 352 new positive COVID-19 cases and three deaths Monday. Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary Dr James Fong said the first COVID-19 death was a 54-year-old man from Naikurukuru, Lami. He said the man was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the CWM Hospital Emergency department. “This means that he either died at...

Fijians need to help themselves if they want to see a way out of the current COVID-19 outbreak that has killed 31 people and infected over 5,000. This was highlighted by Dr Api Talemaitoga, an Auckland-based general practitioner who has been a part of New Zealand’s COVID response efforts. Dr Talemaitoga said there has also been particular concern about the spread...

China on Monday expressed grave concern over and firm opposition to Australia blocking China's COVID-19 vaccine aid to Papua New Guinea (PNG), calling it a breach of the basic humanitarian spirit. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing in response to a relevant query. According to media reports, Australia has planted several “consultants” in the national...

The Australian Prime Minister has announced a four-step plan that could eventually lead Pacific Islanders to reunite with their families, but it all depends on vaccines. On Friday, Scott Morison said phase three could include freedom for vaccinated Australians to travel overseas, meaning Pacific Islanders could fly home to visit friends and relatives. He said the plan would be triggered when...

Samoa continues to be under COVID-19 State of Emergency as the Orders have been extended for another month to 01 August 2021. The extension has been approved by the Head of State on a recommendation from Cabinet according to the Press Secretariat. Meanwhile, an amended Travel Advisory was issued that gives conditions for those requesting to travel out and into Samoa...

The mortuary at Fiji’s largest hospital is now full, the country’s health ministry said on Monday, as the Pacific island nation logs record daily coronavirus cases. There were no immediate details on the capacity of the morgue. Twenty-eight people have died from COVID-19 in a second wave of infections starting in April, the ministry said on Sunday. The Colonial War Memorial...