PNG Covid-19 numbers continue to climbs, Cook Islands tracing app expanded to Niue, Bougainville launches Covid-19 mobile phone service and Fiji gets cyclone recovery boost from American Samoa.
Photo: PNG Department of Health
PNG Covid numbers climb as well as deaths
Papua New Guinea has reported 179 new cases of Covid-, the highest number of confirmed cases in a day since the outbreak, raising the national total confirmed cases to 2658.
It also reported five new deaths raising the number of deaths related to the coronavirus to 36.
The new cases were reported in eight provinces including the National Capital District (67); West Sepik (78); Western Highlands (12); Madang (2); East Sepik (9); Jiwaka (1); Hela (1); and the Southern Highlands (6).
This is the sixth consecutive week of increasing cases and the highest number of cases in a single week in PNG since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cook Islands tracing app to be used in Niue
The Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce has entered into an agreement with Niue that will see the latter implement a similar contact tracing system to CookSafe.
After many months of work to establish a contact tracing system, Niue has rebranded their system to RockSafe.
Chamber Chief Executive, Eve Hayden, said they had been working closely with the Director Deneral of the Ministry of Social Services in Niue to work through the viability of rolling out CookSafe in their country.
RockSafe had been trialled in three locations around the Niuean capital of Alofi and was expected to be extended to the rest of the island later this month.
The cost of installation and participation in RockSafe would be covered by the Niue Government, in partnership with Telecom Niue Limited.
The Chamber of Commerce had an agreement with the Ministry of Social Services in Niue to roll out and support the implementation of the RockSafe contact tracing system for a period of 36 months.
Bougainville reignites Covid-19 phone service
Bougainville has relaunched a Covid-19 mobile phone awareness service in response to the recent surge in numbers throughout Papua New Guinea.
Health messages were now being sent to all Digicel mobile phones, with a freecall Bougainville Covid hotline - 74460830 - available for official information and advice.
The Bougainville Health Secretary Clement Totavun, who was heading the Covid-19 response said sending vital public health information direct to people's mobile phones was effective during the first wave of the pandemic.
During the first wave, Bougainville kept the number of confirmed cases to just two, but the recent surge has resulted in several dozen cases.
Totavun said over 20 percent of the total Bougainville population had a mobile phone, and this awareness could get to places where mass media did not.
The phone awareness campaign was part of a package of Covid-19 support to Bougainville from Australia.
Fiji gets cyclone recovery boost from American Samoa
Fijian communities affected by the recent cyclones will benefit from a $US30,000 donation from American Samoa.
The Red Cross Society thanked the Fijian community in Pago Pago and the people of American Samoa for 'their humanitarian efforts to address the needs of communities hard-hit by cyclones Yasa and Ana on Vanua Levu'.
Director-General, Ilisapeci Rokotunidau, said the needs on the ground were massive and the assistance would greatly alleviate difficulties people were still facing.
She said the funds would also assist the Red Cross to set up water tanks for identified communities so that women and children and those living with a disability could have easy access to water in their homes.