Papua New Guinea's Emergency Controller has announced the easing of some restrictions put in place in the past month in response to the pandemic.
Public Motor Vehicles, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
With PNG having seven confirmed cases of covid-19 in-country to date, David Manning, who is also Police Commissioner, said it was time for a transition away from some of the tighter restrictions put in place under a State of Emergency which began last month.
"Going forward, Covid-19 is here. We have to be prepared now to live life with the coronavirus.
"This is the transition into the 'new normal' way of life in the context of Covid-19. The new normal will guide us to put in place various measure to reduce the spread of Covid-19."
"Instead of allowing ourselves to be restricted by the pandemic I have now decided to relax some of the restrictions imposed earlier to contain and prevent the spread Covid-19 in the city."
Mr Manning indicated that domestic travel could open up again in the coming days, including internal flights around the country.
"All public transportation will resume under strict Covid-19 health protocols or regulations."
International travel in the interim will be allowed for PNG citizens and permanent residents to return home, and other visitors to PNG authorised for entry by the Controller.
Air Niugini, Papua New Guinea Photo: RNZI
Mr Manning added that classes for primary and secondary schools will resume on the 4th of May, with new protocols in place to protect students against the virus.
University and tertiary level education is to resume next Monday, 27 April.
The Joint Agency Taskforce leading PNG's response is focusing most of its testing and contact tracing efforts in the provinces where confirmed cases have been registered: East New Britain, National Capital District and Western Provinces.
According to the Controller, the agency has so far collected 1,521 samples and tested 559 persons; out of this 552 persons have tested negative. The total number of tests pending laboratory results is 962.
However, Mr Manning said that "at this point in time PNG has the capacity to do 900 tests per day".
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape (right) updates media on the countries covid-19 response, alongside the Emergency Controller, Police Commissioner David Manning. Photo: PNG PM Media
Meanwhile, the Controller said work at the Joint Agency Task Force National Operations Centre in Port Moresby was progressing despite the quarantining of staff last week following the positive case of a frontline responder who worked there.
Following that revelation, 121 tests from people including those who work at the centre, including Mr Manning, Prime Minister James Marape and other top officials, have returned negative.