INCREASE IN OMICRON VARIANT CASES

Of the Omicron cases, National Capital District (NCD) recorded (95), Morobe (31), Hela (three), Madang and Central (two each), and Eastern Highlands and Enga (one each), while East New Britain recorded five new cases of Delta variant.

One  virus-related death was reported in the last  7 – 14 days in the Eastern Highlands, thus increasing the death toll to 639.

According to the latest COVID-19 update from the National Control Centre, Papua New Guinea  has also reported 112 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours ending midday Thursday 3 March 2022, brining the total confirmed cases since the outbreak, to 41,533, including 40,145 recovered cases.

The new cases were recorded in NCD (35), Morobe (31), Eastern Highlands (25), Hela (five), Central (four), Milne Bay, East New Britain and Madang (two each), and Enga and  Gulf (one each).

In its daily updates, NCC also reported a total of 324,925 people having been tested for COVID-19, with 749 newly diagnosed cases in the last 14 days.

In the meantime, a summary of Covid-19 statistics for the 22 provinces is as follows:

– NCD –  11554 cases, 11284  recoveries, 102 deaths, 207 delta cases, 114 Omicron cases;

– Western  – 3737 cases, 3695 recoveries, 33 deaths, 43 delta cases;

– Western Highlands  – 3050 cases, 2878 recoveries, 79 deaths, four delta cases;

– Morobe  – 2574  cases,2516  recoveries, 50 deaths, 87 delta cases, 31 omicron cases;

– Eastern Highlands – 2451 cases, 2284 recoveries, 119 deaths, 22 delta cases, two Omicron case;

– East New Britain – 2291 cases, 2260 recoveries, 31 deaths, 33 delta cases;

–  Milne Bay – 1499 cases, 1414 recoveries, five deaths, three delta cases;

– Madang – 1379 cases, 1341 recoveries, 29 deaths, four delta cases, two omicron cases;

– West New Britain  – 1241 cases, 1234 recoveries, six deaths, 44 delta cases;

– Central  – 1195 cases, 1178  recoveries, two deaths, 10 delta cases, eight  omicron cases;

 – Southern Highlands – 1177  cases, 1115 recoveries, 53 deaths, 43 delta cases;

– Enga – 1139 cases, 1085 recoveries, seven deaths, four delta cases, one omicron case;

– Chimbu – 1062 cases, 1051 recoveries, 11 deaths, 14 delta cases;

– Hela –  1004  cases, 911 recoveries, 14  deaths, 35 delta cases, five omicron cases;

–  Autonomous Region of Bougainville – 981 cases, 960 recoveries, 17 deaths,15  delta cases;

– New Ireland  – 918 cases, 902 recoveries,13 deaths, 34 delta cases, two omicron cases;

– Manus –  895 cases, 866 recoveries, 11 deaths, 29 delta cases;

– West Sepik  – 879 cases, 845 recoveries,13 deaths, 70 delta cases;

– East Sepik  – 746 cases, 714 recoveries, eight deaths, 27 delta cases;

– Gulf – 632 cases, 582 recoveries, 13 delta cases;

– Northern  – 618 cases, 572  recoveries, six deaths;

– Jiwaka  – 511 cases, 458 recoveries, 30 deaths, three delta cases.

There have been a slight increase in the vaccination coverage rate as of Tuesday 1 March 2022, which indicated 419,426 doses of vaccines have been administered, of which 310,761 people  have at  least received  one dose, while 250,376 persons received double doses.