Pandemic Response Controller News Today

The remarkable spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant globally appeared to play out for the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Palau in different ways this week.

PNG confirms Omicron case; PNG and Vanuatu lose voting rights in the UN General Assembly; People in Samoa should heed disaster advisories ; Tahiti poised to introduce France's new Covid-19 health pass, and more.

Papua New Guinea is seeking answers from India and Indonesia after a Garuda flight landed in Port Moresby with unauthorised passengers, including four infected with Covid-19.

PNG Angau hospital Photo: RNZ Pacific The deaths were all reported in East New Britain province, taking PNGs overall death toll from the coronavirus to 133. The latest update from the countrys Pandemic Response Controller reported 245 more confirmed cases in 13 provinces, taking the total number in PNG to 13,242. All 22 provinces including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have reported cases. East New Britain is reported to have confirmed 834 cases, the fourth highest number of any provin...

Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades British Covid-19 variant detected in Wallis and Futuna The authorities in Wallis and Futuna say the British variant of Covid-19 has been detected in the territory. Since the first community case was diagnosed 10 days ago, the number of cases has risen to 186. 10 people are in hospital, one of whom is in intensive care. The French prefect says 18000 doses of the Moderna vaccine will be made available to fight the pandemic. PNG govt reports new Covid-19 deaths Five new ...

Papua New Guineas Health Minister Jelta Wong Photo: EMTV PNGs Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee has granted approval for use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the country. PNGs total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is nearing 2000, with around 800 new cases reported in the past five weeks. The Health Minister Jelta Wong said a lot of the cases were health workers "We want all our nurses and frontliners all trained up before the vaccine comes so that we can roll straight out," he said. "...