Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 cases has now surpassed 10,000 prompting calls from the Controller of the National Pandemic Response, Police Commissioner David Manning for citizens to strictly adhere to measures in the New Normal or “Niupela Pasin”.
“Our battle with the surging COVID-19 outbreak is at a critical stage and I urge every citizen to strictly comply with measures in the New Normal,” said Mr Manning.
The measures in the new normal which Mr Manning made reference to are as follows:
1. Clean hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer;
2. Keep a physical distance of at least 1.5 meters between yourself and others;
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
4. Greet others with a smile, a nod or a simple hello, no handshakes, fist bumps or high fives;
5. Cough and sneeze in your bent elbow and not your hands;
6. Limit social gathering and time spent in crowded places;
7. Wear a face mask or face covering in all public places to protect yourself and others; and
8. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The call by Mr Manning comes as cases continue to rise mostly through community transmission. PNG recorded 245 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 12 midday on Tuesday April 20, increasing the total number of cases to 10,197.
The new cases were reported from 30 districts in 17 of PNG’s 22 provinces.
Globally, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 141,057,106 including 724,720 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The global death toll is 3,015,043 including 10,955 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.