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Regional governments and public applaud the ‘I Am Digital’ campaign

Agreeing in unison on the initiative's timeliness, the respective governments and its people all see the urgent need to educate youths and individuals on online safety etiquettes.   

‘I Am Digital’ is a new social media online safety education campaign for Save the Children and Facebook, uniquely tailored for audiences in the Pacific Islands. The high-profile campaign is designed to help educate and empower Pacific Island teenagers and young people to have safer and more positive online experiences.

PNG covid case numbers edge towards 900

On Saturday authorities confirmed a 895th case in the Central province, a 37-year old male who is an employee of a mining company.

He was not showing symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing but swab samples returned positive as part of the routine travel screening for work.

Additionally, over the course of the weekend, PNG's Hunters rugby leage team announced that one of the members of their travelling party had tested positive for Covid-19

It means that their scheduled departuire to Australia yesterday has been delayed again.

PNG records seventh Covid-19 death

A 71-year old man from Central Province who lived in Moresby South was brought to the Port Moresby General Hospital on Friday, tested positive for Covid-19 and then died the same day.

He had been suffering from a fever, a cough and shortness of breath but also had hypertension and diabetes as exisiting underlying medical conditions.

The Pandemic Response Controller, David Manning, said the recent death reinforced the call to citizens to go to health facilities and get tested if they had symptoms.

PNG's coronavirus cases inch towards 400

One new case was confirmed in the National Capital District on Monday, at Port Moresby General Hospital, bringing the national total to 398.

The controller of the National Pandemic Response David Manning said there were too many people in the city not adhering to health protocols, despite the rising number of cases.

"The number of cases in NCD is now 254. This is a big increase and unless people adhere to the health measures in place, we are likely to see a continuing rise in cases in Covid-19,'' he said.

PNG registers fourth covid-related death

According to the newspaper The National, a 72-year-old man died this month in Port Moresby.

The National Control Centre incident manager Dr Esorom Doani said the man from Mortlock Island in Bougainville tested positive on 12 August and died two days later.

The man, who had a history of diabetes, was suffering from severe respiratory illness and was incubated and placed on ventilation before he died.

The confirmed number of Covid cases across the country has reached 361, with the coronavirus now in 11 provinces.

Eleven prisoners killed during mass jailbreak in PNG

At least 34 other prisoners remain on the run after the mass breakout from Buimo Prison in Lae on Friday.

PNG media are reporting that the breakout occurred when some inmates pretended to be sick and were escorted by others to the clinic.

The newspaper The National reported that inmates overpowered guards at the compound gate when it was opened to allow supposedly sick inmates to pass through.

PNG's Correctional Services Commissioner Stephen Pokanis confirmed the vast majority of those who escaped were detainees on remand.

PNG records more than 50 Covid cases in three days

The government said 38 of the latest cases were in Western Province and 15 in the National Capital District (NCD).

Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said the new cases were linked to community transmission in the NCD and a cluster of cases at the Ok Tedi mine.

He said laboratories in Port Moresby and Brisbane had completed over 400 tests bringing PNG's total to 13,361.

The Brisbane lab is testing samples from Western Province, funded by Ok Tedi.

PNG Covid-19 cases rise to 111

The infection was found during targeted testing of health staff following the confirmation of seven staff with the coronavirus at the department.

National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said contract tracing for health staff in the nation's capital was continuing.

He said over the past 48 hours there had been nearly 2,000 tests.

Manning encouraged residents in the district to come forward for testing if they have developed any symptoms while also exercising social distancing and good hygiene.

Surge in covid-19 cases in Papua province

Last night in Jayapura, the Papua Province Covid-19 Task Force spokesman Silwanus Sumule announced a sharp increase of 74 cases in a day.

The total now stands at 436. Of that number 323 people are recieving medical treatment.

The death toll remains at 7.

Reflecting the breakdown of overall cases to date, most of the new cases are in Jayapura City and in other regencies close to the border with Papua New Guinea, as well as in Mimika regency, arround the Freeport gold mine, the single biggest cluster so far.

PNG cabinet approves K280m for Covid-19 expenses

Prime Minister James Marape said the funding will go to all sectors of the Covid-19 operations, but especially frontliners especially medical workers, police, and defence personnel.

Some of the funding is to be used to help PNG citizens who are stranded overseas to return to the country.

Mr Marape also said that 23.2 tonnes of medical gear, including personal protective equipment, were being flown in from China and were due to soon arrive in Port Moresby.