THE country’s western border still remains the most worrying entry point for COVID from Papua New Guinea (PNG).
This was revealed by the Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) Dr. Jimmy Rodgers during the radio talk-back show on Sunday.
Dr. Rodgers said, PNG has now on average, 15 cases a day, and that’s an issue for the country given its close proximity.
“PNG is giving us a little bit of concern at the moment because in February alone more than 400 cases in that single month, that is about 30 percent of PNG cases in one month since the pandemic started.”
Because of that, he said, the western end border is a worry for the country.
“Our border still remains the most worrying entry point for COVID from PNG, and that’s means we need to step up continually and be alert on that.”
Given this threat from the PNG, Dr. Rodgers said: “When we get our vaccine, when looking at our prioritization on who we should target apart from the front liners and the numbers of people who have risk condition or leaders, we have to think heavy on our border zone.
“Because that is where the infection might come in so they will have a higher priority on vaccine roll out than people in the areas of provinces since where they are not in the frontline.
“So I think that’s the important one we need to know and that’s an issue to us here in the Solomon Islands because if they’re close to us,” he said.
Currently, Bougainville was reported to have three active positive Covid-19 cases.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavera last week visited the western border where he had the opportunity to see firsthand how the front liners are operating to continue to protect the border.
It was reported that local police officers looking after the border continue to face threats and intimidation from Bougainvilleans.
By FOLLET JOHN
Newsroom, Honiara
