Papua New Guinea has launched an online system for people arriving from overseas to submit an electronic health declaration form (eHDF) 24 hours prior to arrival into the country.
The eHDF is an additional precautionary measure to mitigate the risk of importation of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into the country. All international travellers, including Papua New Guinea nationals arriving into PNG, must submit their health declaration electronically, using this link: https://www.pnghdf.info
“As we gradually re-open the country to returning Papua New Guineans and business travellers, we remain vigilant and ensure the safety and health of our people and our visitors. There is no compromise in our health monitoring at the points of entry, and I enjoin travellers to comply with this requirement," said the National Response Pandemic Controller Mr David Manning.
The eHDF had been piloted over the past month to ensure the system is easy to use by the travellers and would generate required information for quarantine monitoring purposes.
“I remind travellers to be truthful in filling out the form by providing us with correct and complete information. Those who make false declarations will be held liable for prosecution under the PNG Pandemic Act of 2020," reminded Mr Manning.
The eHDF was developed by the National Control Centre Surveillance and Epidemiology Unit and implemented successfully by the Points of Entry and Quarantine Cluster, with support from the National Department of Health and the World Health Organization. The eHDF will be periodically reviewed and updated based on the global and national COVID-19 situation.
For an explainer on the eHDF, check out this video link: https://www.facebook.com/PNGNDOH/videos/683330765926040
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea reported a new case of COVID-19 in a 51-year-old foreign national who resides in the National Capital District (NCD).
He was experiencing shortness of breath and cough at the time of admission to the Intensive Care Unit of the Pacific International Hospital. Upon testing positive for COVID-19, he was transferred to the Rita Flynn Isolation Facility.
To date, the country has 591 COVID-19 cases, with seven deaths. There have been 579 people who have recovered from COVID-19 whilst there are five active cases that are being isolated.
Fourteen provinces (including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) have confirmed COVID-19 cases:
Provinces Confirmed cases
- NCD 344
- Western Province 203
- EHP 13
- Central 7
- West New Britain 6
- Morobe 5
- East Sepik 3
- Milne Bay 2
- East New Britain 2
- Enga 2
- West Sepik 1
- New Ireland 1
- Southern Highlands 1
- AROB 1
Globally, since the start of the outbreak, there have been a total 46,358,955 confirmed cases and the death toll stands at 1,198,628.
There was an increase of 466,683 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.
In the Western Pacific Region, a total of 13 countries/territories had confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases for the region to 734,246 cases and 15,553 deaths.
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