Western Highlands Province this week joined the list of high-risk provinces and is now the fourth province after Western, Eastern Highlands and West Sepik Province with an alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, including deaths recorded at the Mt Hagen General Hospital this week. Acting CEO for the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority Jane Holden revealed that the province is the second in the highlands region to report an outbreak in COVID-19 cases and deaths with 25 reported deaths so far and 844 positive cases. “Of the 844 people testing positive to COVID-19, 61 of them are staff from the Mt Hagen Hospital. She said people are already responding to vaccination positively with the current situation in Goroka. Holden said the hospital was providing vaccination at the same time to interested members of the public and encouraged citizens to come forward and get the jab to be protected. “Due to high numbers of community transmission that started over the last couple of days in the four districts, we are inviting the public to get vaccinated. We are administering the Johnson & Johnson single jab vaccine as well as second dose for those who already received the first dose.” The Mt Hagen hospital outpatient services have all been stopped while only services the hospital is providing for at this time is the TB clinic, the HIV and AIDS clinic and the antenatal clinic. Acting CEO Jane Holden said the management had to take such measures to protect sick people in the wards while they attend to COVID-19 patients. [audio mp3="https://pnghausbung.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/WHP-NOW-HIGH-RISK-PROVINCE-.mp3"][/audio] (Voice: Acting CEO for Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority, Jane Holden) Picture credit: Akapite Gamae