Pacific / Bougainville

Bougainville introduces covid measures on public transport

19:30 pm on 11 August 2020

As Papua New Guinea authorities struggle to contain covid--19, new measures to help stop the spread of the virus are coming into force in Bougainville.

Public motor vehicle, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades

Operators of public motor vehicles, or PMVs, on Bougainville, which is an autonomous region of PNG,are now required to keep a daily record of all their passengers, to enable contact tracing.

They also have to ensure there is adequate personal protective equipment for drivers and crews, with masks and gloves worn when operating the vehicle.

This is the latest in a series of tighter measures ordered by the Emergency Controller, Francis Tokura, after Bougainville registered its first case of Covid-19.

Bougainvilleans also face limits on movement between constituencies.

From tomorrow there can be no movement between constituencies for four days.

Mr Tokura said this was to help fast-track contact tracing.

Tomorrow Bougainville also begins a three-week polling period for the region's five yearly elections.