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Doctors investigate death of woman at Seghe

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Dr Michael Belande speaking during a meeting recently.

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

DOCTORS at Seghe Hospital are investigating whether COVID-19 is responsible for the death of a woman this week.

Acting Director of Health and Medical for Western Province, Doctor Michael Belande Buin said his team at the site have carried out initial examinations to see if COVID-19 was responsible for the woman’s death.

“We were informed that the deceased has other health issues but that cannot rule out COVID-19 so our investigation team is on the ground,” he said.

Buin said the deceased is a passenger of MV Marina who ran a trip to the Western Province earlier this month.

He said the deceased became sick and was transported to Seghe hospital but was not able to recover.

“At the moment we are just guessing so we have send our team to verify this informations,” Buin explained.

2 COVID-19 related deaths

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Honiara is the beating heart of the country's economy.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO 

THE country has recorded two deaths from COVID-19 at the Emergency Department of the National Referral Hospital.

Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana confirmed this in his daily COVID-19 update today.

“Last night two persons were brought to the Emergency Department. One was a 52-year-old female and another a 59-year-old male who had comorbidities including diabetes and high blood pressure”.

“They were tested for COVID-19 and were found positive,” he said.

“Accordingly, the Solomon Islands recorded its first two deaths from COVID. My heartfelt sympathy to the immediate families of these two, their relatives and friends,” Togamana said.

He confirmed that the outcome of the investigations will be communicated accordingly and at the fitting time.

Togamana called on all family members of the two, those who have been to the hospital to immediately self-isolate at home because they are now suspected cases of COVID-19.

200 swabbing kits left in Western Province

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Gizo Hospital

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

WESTERN Province’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services says the province’s front-line workers have only 200 swabbing kits left.

John Wale said only 200 people will be tested for COVID-19 this week unless the government provides additional swabbing kits.

“This is serious, our people need to be tested as part of our province have been exposed to this virus. For example, those who attended the mass gathering at Rukutu, Marovo area.

“These people are exposed to the virus because crews of the ships that transported the goods so as people to the gathering have tested positive upon arrival in Honiara,” he said.

Wale also said that manpower is also slowly falling as the current situation has overwhelmed the limited manpower allocated to respond to the COVID-19 situation.

He said Front-liners will be stretched to their limits.

Wale calls on the national government to address both issues immediately in order to contain the virus from spreading in Western Province.

4 Days lockdown, as infection rises

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Press Release
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Honiara is the beating heart of the country's economy.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has declared a further four days lockdown for the Honiara City Emergency zone as covid infections soar in the capital.

The lockdown becomes effective from 6:00pm Tuesday 25 to 6:00pm Saturday 29 January 2022 for a period of 4 days to reduce people movement and to allow health operations to continue in Honiara communities.

Sogavare said the lockdown is critical in the fight to reduce and contain community transmission within the city.

The government through the Oversight Committee will try to provide some food support to communities during the lock down period to ensure people remain in their homes.

The lockdown period will be reviewed before the expiry of the 4 days to decide if it should be extended further. This will allow the Cabinet time to consider the implications of the current outbreak and further consider longer-term measures that will be recommended by the Oversight Committee.

“I ask all residents living in the Honiara Emergency Zone to please respect the lockdown period and stay home during this time so that we can reduce the transmission of the virus and contain and control the current epidemic of COVID-19 in the country,” Sogavare said in his Special National Address today.

Honiara City is now the epicenter of covid-19, although the original outbreak of COVID-19 was traced back from Ontong Java in the Malaita Outer Islands.

Sogavare warned that the Honiara outbreak means COVID-19 is now exported to provinces from Honiara through ships that sail from Honiara to provinces.

The lockdown now prohibits people, vessels including Outboard motors and aircrafts from traveling to and from Honiara to the provinces.

Special exemptions will be given to high priority cargo flights and personnel entering from overseas to assist the Government’s response to the situation.

The 4-day lockdown will include the two localized lockdowns at the Lord Howe Settlement and Burns Creek Community.

Gizo residents urged to wear mask

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

RESIDENTS at Western Provincial capital Gizo have been urged to wear mask when going out to public places

Provincial Secretary of Western province, Jeffrey Wickham made the call over the weekend following the surge of COVID-19 cases in Honiara.

He said wearing of mask is compulsory and residents must find one to protect themselves while going out on public places.

“There is no medicine that can cure this virus so the only way we can do is to prevent ourselves from getting the virus.

“Simple measures such as wearing of mask, hand washing, social distancing and avoid social gathering are the least we can do to protect ourselves,” Wickham said.

He said shop owners must wear mask and also provide hand sanitizers for the public to use after shopping.

Wickham adds that market vendors must also wear masks.

“Those who fail to adhere to this requirement will not be allowed to sell goods at the market.

“It is equally important that vendors must maintain social distancing while selling their products at the market,” he said.

Wickham said mask will be running out from shops as such those who are good in sawing must produce masks for sale at an affordable price.

“We want each resident to have a mask,” he said.

NRH in search for lab technicians

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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The National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO 

THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services says they will be looking at recruiting laboratory technicians to assist boost their manpower requirements.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary Pauline McNeil disclosed this yesterday in a radio talk-back show.

“The testing capabilities at the Molecular laboratory, National Referral Hospital, has been stretched in terms of capacity of our human resources and so we are trying to go out to the public to identify who are our laboratory technicians out there who could come forward to assist us,” McNeil said.

She also stated that they are looking at utilising other nurses who are unemployed to fill in the gaps at NRH.

“We are trying to coordinate as much as possible in trying to map out who is there to fill in the gaps,” McNeil said.

She stressed that has become one of their main challenges at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

“We are also reaching out to our partners who will support us in terms of capabilities, PPEs and IPC items and other key critical equipment that we need during this crisis,” McNeil said.

Malaita plans to deal with outbreak in the province.

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Auki town.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MALAITA Provincial Disaster Operation Centre (PDOC) through its Covid-19 Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) at Kilu’ufi hospital has met on Friday to prepare for covid-19 transmission in the country.

Chairman of EOC, Director of Malaita provincial health, Dr. Rex Maukera said the meeting was important as they are looking at ways to deal with the current situation should there be an outbreak in the province. 

He said they discussed a lot of areas during the meeting including;

  • Update on the current status of the country, especially PM’s speeches and information that needs to be disseminated to the public.
  • Update on the status of Kilu’ufi hospital and measures need to be taken now as face with the virus
  • Preparation of quarantine and isolation for the province
  • Looking at reserving Kilu’ufi hospital for normal services (to avoid virus transmission to staffs and patients)
  • Possible measures by way of restricting movement of people

Maukera said these are some of the areas they looked at and they will continue to sit down and plan as this situation also continues to gain momentum.

He said during the meeting they also discussed information to issue to the public, especially on the movement of people after the lifting of the lockdown in Honiara.

Maukera said the Kilu’ufi Risk Communication team had and will provide awareness to people on the current situation, especially measures or what to do, and to give people confidence amidst the transmission.

 “We are now experiencing transmission and if anybody is experiencing flu, cough, and other signs of the virus to report to them for investigation,” he added.

Maukera said the PDOC through EOC is liaising with SOEs, NGOs in Auki, and MPG to prepare for the current state of emergency.

He said the partnership of these stakeholders is important to ensure resources are shared towards planning to deal with the virus in the province.  

SINU: ‘no jab, no job’ & ‘no jab, no school’

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Admin
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Students at SINU

SOLOMON Islands National University (SINU) says staff and students who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to enter its campuses when classes resume this year.

SINU executive management reached the decision in its meeting yesterday in the wake of the COVID-19 community transmission outbreak in Honiara.

“Staff and students who have yet to get their vaccination must adhere to the Prime Minister’s call to visit the vaccination sites and get vaccinated this week,” SINU said in a statement issued yesterday.

“No students will be allowed to enter any SINU campuses this week,” the statement added.

“A policy of ‘no jab, no job’ and ‘no jab, no school’ will be executed once SINU opens for normal business.

“Staff who are vaccinated are required to attend work this week but must comply with COVID-19 safety protocols.

“A SINU covid-19 special committee will be reactivated with its first meeting tomorrow.”

The statement said the university will remain close throughout this week.

This means enrolment will be delayed for a week.

SINU said it is taking these measures to help fight the COVID-19 community transmission, first detected in the Malaita Outer Islands and later in Honiara early this week.

Authorities urged to track down passengers

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Passengers on board one the ships that was detained outside Taro Island.

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

COMMUNITIES in South Choiseul, are calling on Taro police and the Health and Medical Authority to track down passengers who returned to their homes after boarding ships that were detained at Taro.

In an interview with Island Sun Gizo, community member, Chris Podokolo said people are concerned that few passengers who boarded one of the ships to Taro returned home after the ships were detained.

“So, what happened was, some people from our community boarded the ship when the ship passed through heading to Taro.

“When the ship was detained, these people arranged a boat and returned home in the evening.

“It is worrying that these people already boarded the vessel and are now mingling with other community members since they came back,” he said.

Podokolo said few leaders have tried their best to explain to the people about the risk associated with the people’s movement but the response was not helpful.

He said the situation is worrying and a quick response from responsible authorities is important.

“We want the police and health authorities to visit us immediately so that we can discuss possible actions that needs to be made.

“At the moment life is the village is normal, only a few people who know the seriousness of COVID-19 adhered to public and health procedures,” Podokolo said.

Gen X-PERT machine at Kilu’ufi not ready

Written by
Samie Waikori
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0
Kilu'ufi hospital

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

THE Gen X-PERT machine at the Kilu’ufi hospital intended for testing corona virus in the province is not yet ready for use.

Chairman of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for covid-19 at Kilu’ufi hospital, Director Dr Rex Maukera informed the local media about this on Thursday.

He said at the moment the machine is not yet ready and samples of suspected corona virus tests taken have to be sent to Honiara for verification.

Maukera said “we have a Gen X-PERT machine at Kilu’ufi hospital, but it will not be used yet.”

He said reason for that was the lab that holds the machine doesn’t meet the required standard and they are now working on it.

Maukera said as long as they complete the work, they will kick off testing for corona virus at Kilu’ufi hospital.

The machine was installed last year as part of ministry of health (MHMS) through the provincial health’s preparation for covid-19 in the province.

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