The Western border continues to pose a greater cause of concern to the country in relation to COVID-19 security.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare highlighted this in his nationwide address, Tuesday.
Sogavare said with the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Papua New Guinea (PNG), it is highly likely that numbers of COVID-19 in Bougainville are also increasing although it is difficult to know the numbers.
“As of today (yesterday), PNG has reported a total of 7,406 cases with an average daily increase of around 300 new cases per day,” PM Sogavare said.
Sogavare reminded Solomon Islanders living at the border communities that no one from Solomon Islands is allowed to cross the border to the Bougainville side of the border and no one from Bougainville to enter into Solomon Islands.
“This is no longer just a legal matter. It is a matter of protecting and safeguarding life. Protecting our families and children who live in our border communities from COVID-19.
“I call on every person, man, women, children in all our villages and communities along the border, to please look after each other,” he pleaded.
He explained most people infected by COVID-19 do not have symptoms.
“They are not sick. If they are infected and are not sick, they can transmit the COVID-19 virus to anyone they meet without knowing about it.”
That’s why the best policy is not to allow anyone to come across the border and no one from the country to go across the border, he added.
By ESTHER NURIA
Newsroom, Honiara
