7,125 samples taken of NCD case, including workmates, relatives, close family members and neigbours have returned negative. The workmates include the National Operations Centre staff. Contacts have also been quarantined.
A total of 584 samples have been taken so far from 2 confirmed cases in ENB. These include samples from family members in five locked down villages of ENB. Out of this figure, 152 have been tested and had returned negative. The remaining 432 were sent to Brisbane yesterday after arriving at CPHL on April 22.
Contact tracing of 3 confirmed cases in Western Province
The three confirmed cases in Western Province are still in isolation in their house.
In the last 24 hours, 18 more people have been identified in the contact tracing for tests. This now makes 246 samples taken from the contacts of the three confirmed cases. In addition, samples were also collected from 293 others from the targeted border surveillance.
Eastern Highlands
The 45 year-old woman confirmed with COVID-19 is now isolated in Asaro. The Asaro District Hospital is now locked down. She is reported to have got sick after travelling back from Lae after staying with her brother. This brother has been identified and his sample was to have been collected for test this morning.
Message
Together we can get through this. Majority (95 %) of people who get sick with COVID-19 recover without complications and only a small percentage may require care in the hospital.
Also, not all those who go for test have the virus. This is contract tracing that is done to find out whether other people who have been exposed to the virus have it. During this time they are also quarantined as a precautionary measure to prevent any further transmission.
People with fever, cough and have difficulty in breathing can call the hotline 1800200 for medical attention.
For the rest of us, let us not stop taking preventive measures:
· Cover your cough or cough into your elbow;
· Practice social or physical distancing by keeping 1.5 to 2 meters apart;
· Disinfect your work benches and personal things such as phone or laptop;
· Avoid crowds and stay home if there is no reason for you to go out
