Sunday March 28th 2021
By MALUM NALU
Six more COVID-19 deaths have been reported over the last 24 hours as the total number of cases increased to 5205, according to Health Secretary Dr Osborne Liko (click to watch video below).
This brings to 51 the total number of deaths from the 45 he reported yesterday.
The total number of cases has increased by 21 from the 5184 Dr Liko reported yesterday.
He announced this at a press conference at Taurama Aquatic & Indoor Centre, the site of the new Nightingale COVID-19 Centre, in Port Moresby today (Sunday March 28th 2021).
Dr Liko was accompanied by Port Moresby General Hospital CEO Dr Paki Molumi, NCD Provincial Health Authority Acting CEO Ken Wai, and St John Ambulance CEO Matt Cannon.
“As we get more reports and results in, the numbers are escalating – not in weeks, in days,” he said.
“We now have six more death (as of yesterday).
” We now have 51 deaths and the numbers are escalating.”
Dr Liko said what Dr Molumi and Mr Wai had revealed about bed space in Port Moresby at the hospital and Rita Flynn Courts were “alarming”.
“I can’t emphasise enough,” he said.
Dr Liko said the situation at hospitals in the country was worsening.
He said last year, Australia had imposed a ban on inter-state travel, which was not happening in PNG.
“I’m scared,” Dr Liko said.
“Nightmare.
” If I can put this message to all our citizens, all our people in the country: Take heed of Niupela Pasin (New Normal) our Controller (David Manning), our Government are putting forward.
“I can’t emphasise this enough.
” This (COVID-19) is not a joke, people of PNG.”
Dr Liko also spoke against people propagating
“false information” on social media as COVID-19 figures go beyond the “red zone”.