11 more COVID-19 deaths in PNG Friday 16/04/2021
Papua new Guinea s Health Secretary, Osborne Liko (left) and National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning address a media update about the country s worrying Covid-19 surge, 27 March, 2021, Port Moresby. Photo: PNG PM Media
Papua New Guinea s National Control Centre for COVID-19 reports the tally of people dying from the virus increased by 11 over the last 24 hours.
While these 11 deaths are newly reported, the centre says they occurred from 19th March to 14th April.
They take the PNG death tally from the virus to 82, with the National Capital District recording 56 of those.
Radio NZ reports Six of the latest deaths occurred in the Eastern Highlands, the first Covid-19 deaths there.
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Australia is boosting its assistance to Papua New Guinea with the deployment of a second, larger team of health and medical specialists to respond to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
According to the Australian High Commission in PNG, the 20 member Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) will provide expert support to Papua New Guinea’s National Control Centre for COVID-19 to help establish safe and effective systems to support the management of severe and critical cases.
The team, which includes clinical specialists, will operate primarily from Port Moresby General Hospital, to address health workforce shortages and system gaps.
This assistance is in response to a request from the PNG Government and recommendations made by an initial AUSMAT team, deployed on 23 March, 2021.