Papua New Guinea has so far recorded just 11 confirmed cases and zero deaths, but the country is not without its challenges.
An intrepid team of Australian healthcare workers has touched down in Papua New Guinea, where they are working in the field to help stay on top of the global coronavirus crisis.
“Then I receive the list of contacts and work with teams that will routinely check in with the contacts while they do their 14-day quarantine period.”The experienced epidemiologist had been working from home in Melbourne for the past three months, which she found frustrating. “So, I guess to leave Australia when you know it is not so easy to jump on a plane should the need arise, or should you want to be there, that is a little more disconcerting.”
“The staff here are exceptionally willing to have help, to have guidance, I think COVID-19 in particular has brought lots of fear around the world, so I think people really want the support, they want the help and they are willing to do anything necessary.”The economic effect of lockdown measures has had an especially drastic toll on the country's poor and vulnerable.
“One of our greatest challenges is trying to potentially say to people stay at home and isolate, that concept is an incredibly challenged one when you are talking to people that live in big households with 12, 14 up to 20 people in them sometimes more.”Abby Peacock-Smith and Chiedza Machingaidze are deployed by humanitarian response agency RedR Australia, with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New coronavirus cases in Victoria hit record high with two new deathsVictoria has recorded 317 new coronavirus cases overnight, the biggest increase since the pandemic began, as two men in their 80s die from the virus.
Read more »
Home Affairs breaching work health and safety laws in immigration detention, lawyers sayA group of Australian lawyers are calling on government workplace regulator Comcare to intervene to stop an outbreak of coronavirus in immigration detention.
Read more »
Thousands of healthcare workers poised to help in COVID-19 fightMore than 14,000 doctors and frontline healthcare workers are ready to be called upon at any moment to relieve overstretched hospitals battling coronavirus outbreaks.
Read more »
Hand sanitiser withdrawn from sale because it could be 'ineffective' against coronavirusHand sanitisers sold in Australian stores will be put to the test after consumer group Choice found a major brand was selling products well below the recommended alcohol content.
Read more »
Wests Tigers’ COVID-19 scareWests Tigers players David Nofoaluma and Josh Aloiai will be tested for coronavirus on Thursday and require clearance to play against Brisbane at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.
Read more »
New coronavirus case confirmed as SA announces fines for refusing testsThe SA Government has announced fines of $1,000 for travellers from Victoria who refuse a coronavirus test on arrival in SA, as the state confirms its first COVID-19 case in more than two weeks.
Read more »