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Coronavirus live news: Global cases top 20m as WHO chief says ‘it’s never too late to turn outbreak around’ | World news


Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape will press ahead with plans to lift lockdown measures in the Pacific nation this week, even as a recent sharp spike in coronavirus infections worries health officials.

Marape said a two-week lockdown in the capital of Port Moresby would be lifted from Wednesday, despite the country’s reported cases of Covid-19 doubling over the past week.

“Whilst the spread is there, we have to adapt to living with Covid-19 this year, instead of taking on drastic measures,” Marape told a news conference.

PNG has a total of 214 cases and three deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, but the number of confirmed cases has more than doubled in a week.

More worryingly, WHO said it was likely the real infection numbers were much higher, given low rates of testing throughout the country.

A nurse from Warangoi clinic in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.

A nurse from Warangoi clinic in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. Photograph: Kalo Fainu/The Guardian

“Testing in all provinces remains critically low, therefore ongoing transmission in other parts of the country is a possibility as population mobility continues,” the WHO said in a statement. “Testing needs to increase substantially to understand the extent of transmission.”

It’s estimated only about 11,000 tests have been carried out across the entire country.

Significant stigma still remains around those who contract the virus – or display similar symptoms – with people cast out of homes and ostracised.

Social distancing is difficult in many parts of the country, with large extra-familial groups living in close confines.

As well, about 40% of the population of Port Moresby – the epicentre of most Covid clusters across the country – live without access to running water, making hand-washing difficult.

Like many of its Pacific neighbours, Papua New Guinea appeared to have escaped the worst of the pandemic’s health crisis. But new cases in the past week were reported in nine provinces, including remote areas of the country, WHO said, saying the bulk of those had been traced back to Port Moresby.

Health workers at Port Moresby general hospital have been a significant cluster of infections.

The capital was placed in a two-week lockdown on July 28, with only essential businesses to operate, schools closed, and transport services stopped.

The government had halted entry for travellers except those arriving by air, late last month.

While case numbers remain low, but on a problematic trajectory, the PNG economy has already been devastated by Covid-19 shutdowns.

The government has indicated it expects export values to drop 13%, losing 1 billion Kina ($280mUSD) from the country’s already indebted coffers. It is estimated 10,000 private sector jobs have already been lost.



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