Papua New Guinea’s Deputy Controller of the Pandemic Act, Dr Paison Dakulala, has announced four new covid-19 cases in Port Moresby, taking the country’s confirmed cases to 15.

Dr Dakulala initially announced two positive cases and then about a couple of hours added another two.

All four cases are staff members at the Central Public Health Laboratory located at Port Moresby General Hospital.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus live updates – Cases in US pass 3.5 million

The laboratory is responsible for carrying out the testing on the swabs to determine whether they were positive or negative.

Three of the staff members are male while one is female. All were in stable condition, and have been moved to Rita Flynn isolation and testing facility at Boroko.

Dr Dakulala revealed that after the 12th case was tested, after showing the usual signs and symptoms, and revealed to be positive, the 37 staff at the CPHL were tested, which produced the 13th, 14th and 15th confirmed cases.

The staff members are made up of three laboratory scientists who conduct GeneXpert testing for covid-19; the other is a support staff member of the laboratory.

Rapid response team deployed
Dr Dakulala also made it clear that a rapid response team, as per the usual measures, had been deployed to conduct contact tracing for those who may have came in contact with the four people.

Asked how the staff members may have contracted the disease, whether it was a breach in protocols at the laboratory or from contracting it from community transmission, Dr Dakulala said it was still unclear at this time.

Investigations would be able to determine that soon.

“The CPHL will undergo a thorough disinfection in the coming days to ensure we follow all the infection prevention and control measures,” he said.

“In the interim, testing for covid-19 samples from provinces will be done at IMR Goroka, Singapore and/or Brisbane, Australia.”

Dr Dakulala stressed the importance of following all health and safety protocols, and ensuring that citizens remain at home if they are sick and call the hotline if they show any of the signs and symptoms.

The last covid-19 case for PNG was announced on June 25 who had come into close contact with case number 10.

Thierry Lepani is a PNG Post-Courier reporter.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Indonesia’s most populous island of Java has become the country’s epicentre of the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, prompting calls for heightened containment efforts, including by imposing large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in the entire region.

All six provinces on the island, home to some 151 million people and covers just 7 percent of the archipelago’s area, have become red zones for covid-19 infections.

Leading the central government’s tally is Jakarta, with 5,554 cases and 449 deaths as of Wednesday. East Java follows with 1,772 cases and 163 deaths, West Java 1,556 cases and 98 deaths, Central Java 1,023 cases and 66 deaths, Banten 580 cases and 57 deaths and Yogyakarta 181 cases and seven deaths.

READ MORE: Indonesia’s latest official COVID-19 figures

In total, the key island to Indonesia’s industrial and political scenes has seen 10,666 cases or some 69 percent of the country’s total number of cases and 81 percent of total fatalities at 1,028. Java’s 1,991 recovered patients, meanwhile, make up 60 percent of the 3,287 recoveries in the country.

However, even with the eyebrow-raising figures, only Jakarta and West Java have imposed PSBB measures so far. Other provinces have implemented the policy in part, namely Greater Surabaya and Greater Malang in East Java; Tangerang city, Tangerang regency and South Tangerang city in Banten; as well as Tegal city in Central Java.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo raised concerns about Java’s struggle to contain covid-19 during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to evaluate the PSBB measures. He urged the covid-19 national task force to ensure effective containment efforts in Java’s five provinces that are recording the highest number of cases.

“Especially within the next two weeks, our chances are probably until the Idul Fitri day. We must make the most of it,” Jokowi said while warning against easing restrictions too soon.

Lifting restrictions plan criticised
Jokowi’s statement comes amid criticism over the government’s possible plan to gradually lift restrictions from June, as well as confusing exemptions on travel bans based on claims that some regions had seen a flattening of the curve of infections.

During a separate hearing with the House of Representatives on Tuesday, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief secretary Harmensyah highlighted the need for all of Java to declare a PSBB status.

“We need to impose the PSBB policy throughout Java to suppress [transmission],” he said.

Experts believe PSBB measures have contributed to slowing down the transmission of covid-19, but measuring the policy’s efficacy would require timely data on new transmissions that relies largely on testing capacity, among other things.

The East Java administration has extended Greater Surabaya’s PSBB status until May 25. The administration discovered a recent spike in infection clusters to 72, mainly in Surabaya and among homebound travelers from Jakarta.

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said on Wednesday she would further consult with her team of epidemiologists on whether implementing PSBB measures across the province would prove to be necessary.

Meanwhile, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said on Tuesday that his administration was ready to implement PSBB if it was instructed by the central government. However, he also emphasised that it would have to first calculate the possible impacts.

Still tracing people
The administration is still trying to trace 1,116 of some 1,500 people who attended an international tabligh (Islamic mass gathering) in South Sulawesi, after at least 16 Brebes residents tested positive upon returning.

Jakarta, which had implemented the PSBB since April 10, has extended its restrictions until May 22. Governor Anies Baswedan previously conceded that there were gatherings and people defying rules, including when hundreds flocked to McDonald’s Sarinah in Central Jakarta to be part of the restaurant’s final day of operating on Sunday.

The following day, the city administration issued a new decree regulating sanctions for PSBB violators, which range from community service to administrative fines.

In West Java, the administration declared it would implement PSBB measures from May 6 to 19, after initially only placing restrictions on Greater Bandung.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil claimed on Monday during an online discussion with ambassadors that the province’s effective viral reproduction number (Re) had declined from 1.28 points before the PSBB to 1.06 post-PSBB.

Ghina Ghaliya contributed to this Jakarta Post story.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Leigh-Marama McLachlan, Māori affairs correspondent of RNZ News

There has been a surge in the rate of Māori being tested for the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, but several districts are still lagging behind.

The latest data from the Ministry of Health to April 30, shows Māori are being tested at a slightly higher rate than non-Māori on average.

But one third of district health boards still appear to be undertesting Māori.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus live updates – Second wave feared as European, US lockdowns ease

Between 18 and 30 April, the Māori testing rate per 1000 people jumped from 16 to 24.

Academic Dr Rawiri Taonui has been tracking the numbers closely.

“There is definitely a marked increase – the Māori average is above the national average, just slightly and that is good to see,” he said.

“The key to it has been getting Māori health providers involved in the testing.”

Iwi providers bolstered efforts
On 24 April, the Ministry of Health told DHBs to ensure their testing was covering off Māori.

And in some places, iwi health providers quickly started bolstering their efforts to test Māori.

In Taranaki and Te Tairāwhiti, mobile clinics have ramped up in isolated places and even those without symptoms are being tested.

But Dr Taonui said not all DHBs are meeting the mark.

“Next week, we are moving, probably going to make a decision about moving to level 2 and about a third of the DHBs are still behind in their testing for Māori.

“They have got some work to do.”

The DHBs with Māori testing rates per 1000 below 20 include, Lakes, Whanganui, Midcentral, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, South Canterbury and Nelson Marlborough.

Lowest testing rate
Nelson Marlborough DHB has the lowest testing rate for Māori at 15 per 1000 and it has one of the highest rates of Māori testing positive for covid-19.

But Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Baker is defending its response.

“I don’t think those numbers do show underperformance, they really reflect the proportion of Māori in our community that have symptoms that allow us to test them,” he said.

Dr Baker said the DHB has been actively seeking out vulnerable communities, and running flu jabs and covid-19 testing at marae.

But he said the district had not been hit with any coughs or colds for weeks, which meant fewer people presenting with symptoms.

“This reflects the healthiness of our community, and I think our swabbing rate also reflects the health of our community, not a failure to seek people out.”

Midcentral DHB also has low Māori testing at 15 per 1000.

Only test symptomatic people
Both DHBs said for the most part when the data was taken, the Ministry of Health told them to only test symptomatic people.

Midcentral acting chief medical officer and chief executive Dr Jeff Brown said things are starting to change.

“We are, even in the last week, making more efforts as we move from chasing symptomatic cases and their contacts through to asymptomatic,” he said.

“So we are now planning this week, next week and the following to do more targeted testing of high exposure, high risk groups.”

Dr Brown said the district’s Māori testing rate was only slightly lower than its Pākehā rate which was 17 per 1000.

Ministry of Health deputy director-general Māori health John Whaanga said he was overall pleased with the rise in Māori test rates.

Māori now made up 16.3 percent of nationwide tests, slightly higher than the Māori population rate of New Zealand.

And while some DHBs were doing better than others, he said they have all had the same time to ramp up testing for Māori.

“The message we gave out to all DHBs was when we made the change in the case definition – that was the change that allowed us to change how we tested and certainly asymptomatic testing,” he said.

“I think there were certainly some DHBs that mobilised testing quicker than others.”

The DHBs with Māori testing rates above the national average include Waitematā, Auckland, Counties, Waikato, Te Tairāwhiti, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa.

Praise for Māori-led response
Dr Rawiri Taonui said he is glad that targeted testing is underway to make sure the virus is not spreading undetected, and he is heaping praise on Māori.

“The Māori Covid response has been magnificent – food parcels, care packages, looking after old people and getting the testing done,” he said.

“Checkpoints are proving themselves effective. Where there are checkpoints there are much lower rates of infection, and that has happened despite the Ministry of Health.”

Despite lower Māori testing numbers, Dr Jeff Brown said the response from the local Māori health network was great.

“We couldn’t forget the power of the networks and the social media networks that iwi are using,” he said.

“Right across from swabbing to medical support through to the psychosocial support – the rapidity with which iwi leaders stepped up and stepped up together has been absolutely impressive.”

John Whaanga is echoing the sentiment and said the response has been commendable.

“I want to take my hat off to the Māori health provider network and organisations and community based organisations, they mobilised quickly.

“They have done a fantastic job in terms of having to make that difference, and I’d like to think that the ministry in partnership with DHB stood alongside them to provide them with some funding or resources to enable them to do that.”

To date, 127 Māori people have contracted covid-19 in New Zealand, making up 9 percent of all cases.

Two new cases of covid-19 reported in NZ
Radio NZ reports that one of two new cases of covid-19 confirmed today is a nurse who has been caring for St Margaret’s cluster patients.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By RNZ News

New Zealanders in their 20s are the age group with the biggest numbers of Covid-19 and are “the vector for transmission”, says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Ardern has thanked NZ for its efforts, but says it is still too early to say if the level four lockdown is successfully slowing transmission.

Ardern said that if the virus was in the community – present but not yet seen – “then the worst thing we could do is be relaxed or too complacent and allow a silent spread”.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus updates – UN chief says Covid-19 pandemic world’s ‘worstcrisis since World War II’

She said that if the country was not at alert level four, the Marist and Matamata clusters could have ended up much worse.

“By and large, given what we have done in a short space of time, I think the majority of New Zealanders are doing an amazing job, we just need to keep reminding that small proportion who perhaps aren’t taking it seriously why it is so important,” she said.

“This period of time is our chance to break the chain of transmission. The quicker we do that the sooner we can return to some semblance of normal life … it is about you and your family.”

She said the most affected age range in this country was currently those aged 20-29.

‘They are our vector’
“They are our vector for transmission, so I need everyone to take this seriously. They are the ones that pass it on.”

She said the country did not have a full picture of the extent of community transmission,

“That’s why we’ve been so focused on testing capacity, which over a period of time we’ve seen a 91 percent increase in.”

Ardern said testing stations had been set up in every community and it should be made easy as possible for people to get tested, but that testing did fall off over the weekend.

“We’ve talked to the Director-General [of Health] about what we can do to get consistency because that is two days out of seven when we really can’t afford to have testing fall away.

“We have the capacity, we have the swabs … no matter where you are you should be able to access a test.”

Ardern said 2093 tests had been done today.

Infrastructure projects
The prime minister also said industry leaders had been asked to find infrastructure projects that were ready to start as soon as industry gears up again.

“Work is also under way to speed up consents for the development of infrastructure projects during the recovery from Covid-19 to provide jobs and stimulate our economy,” she said.

Advance payments would be made to some employers to hire staff so that work could begin as soon as possible, she said.

She said about 990 emails had been received on the first day of the food Pricewatch service and the most common complaint was the high prices of cauliflower, bread, meat, facemasks and garlic.

“We are taking these complaints seriously. We are investigating complaints that are being made.”

The process for dealing with complaints was being worked through and would allow supermarkets a chance to be involved.

The prime minister also provided a few updates on support package for Māori communities and the one for NGOs and community groups.

Finding for Whānau Ora
“The funding allocated to Whānau Ora commissioning agencies has been fully paid out which has helped the agencies to coordinate 100,000 care packages, with over 11,000 delivered to date and aiming for 130,000 by the end of the week.

“The investment has also helped to facilitate priority access for testing to vulnerable whānau such as kaumātua.”

Her update follows the latest health update, in which another 61 cases brought New Zealand’s total Covid-19 infections to 708.

Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay spoke at the earlier briefing about moves to step up the testing regime in New Zealand, with broader testing criteria and two new testing centres set up by the end of next week, bringing the total to 10.

This was hoped to lift testing capacity to 5000 a day, up from 3700 currently. An average of 1843 tests were being carried out but it was hoped this would also increase.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

• If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP – don’t show up at a medical centre.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Mong Palatino

Many Indonesian internet users have expressed anger over the decision of the House of Representatives (DPR) to test its 575 members for Covid-19.

Indonesia has a population of more than 260 million. As of today, the country has 913 Covid-19 positive cases with 87 deaths. But many believe there are more cases that are being underreported and undetected because of the low number of Covid-19 testing in communities.

As of March 24, the government had only conducted 2756 tests.

President Joko Widodo (also known as Jokowi) has been reluctant to impose a lockdown to contain the virus because of its drastic impact on the informal sector and daily wage earners.

Instead, the government has been aggressive in promoting social distancing in major cities to stop the spread of Covid-19. Jokowi also ordered the massive procurement of rapid testing kits in order to be rolled out in hotspots across the country.

But as the country waits for the test kits to arrive from China and other countries, news of the DPR decision to have its members tested outraged many on social media.

Members of Parliament can also nominate two or three of their family members and staff such as drivers and domestic help for rapid testing.

This infuriated many who questioned the rationale of prioritising politicians for Covid-19 testing instead of health workers and other frontliners, including those who already have symptoms of the disease.

Here are some comments on Twitter:

Human rights researcher Andreas Harsono shared the sentiment of many. He told The Sydney Morning Herald:

A lot of people are angry with parliamentarians as even doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers – the people on the front lines – are not being tested. It has made people very angry. This reinforces the idea that they are selfish.

In response, DPR officials said the test kits are self-funded by its members. A party mate of the president argued that DPR members need to be tested “in order to make sure that the government runs effectively”.

Mong Palatino is a Global Voices columnist, an activist and two-term member of the Philippine House of Representatives. He has been blogging since 2004 at mongster’s nest. This article is republished under a Creative Commons licence.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz