Despite the Police Commissioner, Mr. David Manning tested positive for COVID-19, the Police Headquarters (PHQ) where his office is located, has not gone into a 14-day lockdown period as required.
This was confirmed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Mr. Donald Yamasombi this morning. In fact, Mr. Yamasombi has ordered the headquarters to close for a few days only to allow the health team to disinfect the whole building, beef up the COVID-19 screening facilities at the main entrance, and then open on Thursday to resume normal operations.
“I am urging everyone (police officers and civilian staff) to go for volunteer COVID-19 testing as well so you can know your status before Thursday.”
The Deputy Commissioner added that this situation will not hamper the normal police operations in the city. Police units in the city will be on duty and attending to complaints and incidents.
Meanwhile in a related matter, the Gordons Police Station in Port Moresby has been closed as well today with officers taken to the various COVID-19 testing facilities in the city after one of their members tested positive recently.
Yamasombi said the station will be closed only for a few days to allow the health team to disinfect the whole station, including the cell. The station is expected to be reopened on Thursday, but this will now depend on the test results.
Apart from the 30 plus officers taken for testing, the 15 detainees at the police station cell were taken in for COVID-19 testing as well.