As announced by the Prime Minister Hon. James Marape yesterday, we now have one case of Covid-19 here in our capital city, Port Moresby.
These are uncertain times. I know there are so many questions, fears and also challenges during this period of restrictions of movement and lockdowns for everyone including businesses.
These are also testing times for our front liners, doctors, health workers, drivers, cleaners, volunteers, community health workers and we all as leaders too, trying to overcome this pandemic that has now hit our city.
As you know, our task force team have been working tirelessly to prepare for this dreaded moment and I am in a way, glad we did all we can to get our facility ready!
We opened on Friday, April 10 and on Thursday, April 16, the facility catered for more than 250 people, mainly from National Operations Center (NOC19) to be tested and quarantined. Let’s hope they all come out negative! We will get swabbed results by today, Friday, April 17, hopefully.
As I am monitoring the unfolding events that’s changing daily, with lockdown orders and other temporary disruptions to our normal lives, I would like to comfort you that Covid-19 doesn’t kill us. 90% will survive and suffer mild to moderate symptoms of like a cold or flu. But what is dangerous is that, this virus is highly contagious and we can spread this disease and infect others without us even being aware of it, that’s how fine we may feel but be at risk to others.
I am asking you all to give your 100% support to come together for us to take this battle on! Together we can accomplish more! We are powerful resilient people who knows what it takes to protect and defend our people, right? Well now is the time we show it. Let’s contain this Covid-19 virus and STOP its spread!
Please put away your skepticisms, big headedness, stubbornness, cross-fights and come together as one city, one people with one aim – to have a Covid-Contained outcome. Listen to the instructions of doctors, of governments, police, and let’s all do our part to help ourselves to keep our families, communities, city and our country men, women and children safe.
At all cost please :
1. STAY AT HOME.
2. GO OUT ONLY IF NECESSARY
3. PRACTICE SOCIAL/PHYSICAL DISTANCING
4. WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY AND KEEP YOURSELF CLEAN
5. STOP CHEWING BETEL NUT!
6. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE, NOSE OR MOUTH UNNECESSARILY.
7. WEAR A MASK. MAKE ONE AT HOME.
8. LIVE A BALANCED LIFE – EXERCISE, EAT HEALTHY MEALS, STAY CALM AND GET GOOD REST. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT.
9. BE KIND & RESPONSIBLE TO OTHERS ESPECIALLY BETWEEN SPOUSES AND PARTNERS. AVOID ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE.
10. DO NOT SPREAD FEAR AND RUMOURS OR STIGMATISE OTHERS.
11. PRAY TOGETHER FOR OUR COUNTRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Before I end, I want to thank once again all our people who are staying home and helping the city and your families to stay safe. Thank you too to our task force team members and our doctors and nurses and everyone out there making it easy for us to manage and contain this virus from spreading.
I will try to do live videos regularly and you can ask questions there and I will try to answer your questions if I can.
May God bless each and everyone of you. May God bless our city and our country, Papua New Guinea.
Hon. Powes Parkop
NCD Port Moreby [PNG] Governor
