Health workers moving body bags at Goroka Hospital's morgue. October 2021. Photo: EMTV
The Papua New Guinea's national pandemic deputy controller says there is a surge of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Dr Daoni Esorom said the surge, which was mostly of the Omicron variant, began in September.
He said 192 cases had been reported in the last seven days; 54 of these were vaccinated and 138 were not.
"From the provinces that are reporting, we are seeing an increase in the number of recorded cases," he
said.
"People must know that Covid-19 has not been eradicated yet. It is still a pandemic of concern in the country and around the world."
Dr Esoram said the surge, which started in September, will go through until February because of the festive season.
He urged people not to neglect the 'Niupela Pasin' or the control measures such as wearing of masks, washing of hands and
avoiding crowded places.
More than 100 new cases in Fiji
The Fiji Health Ministry has reported 102 new cases of covid since its previous update on December 1.
It also reported 10 reinfections.
Of the 102 new cases recorded, 70 were recorded in the Central Division, and 32 were in the Western Division.
No one was in hospital as a direct result of Covid-19.
However, 24 patients admitted to hospital for other diseases had tested covid positive.
Cases up to 55 in Niue
Three new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Niue, taking the total number of active cases to 55.
Eleven people have recovered in the latest 24-hour reporting period.
The official figures on the government's Covid-19 website have the total number of cases recorded since the virus entered the country, via air from New Zealand, sitting at 187.
Niue is in its second week of recording community transmission of the virus.