Bougainville is investigating a second case of Covid-19.
Roadside food vendors, Kieta, Bougainville. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Johnny Blades
The Minister of Health in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region, Raymond Masono, told reporters the man was a worker at the Lihir gold mine in the PNG province of New Ireland.
He had been holidaying in Bougainville before returning to the mine last week and, after tests, was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Friday.
Masono said while it was being treated as a New Ireland case, the local Covid-19 taskforce had been undertaking contact tracing in Bougainville.
The minister said the coronavirus was here to stay and people must try to adjust to the new normal by complying with public health measures, according to a report by New Dawn FM.