BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE country has recorded its first community transmission cases of Covid-19 after six people tested positive at Pelau Island in the Ontong Java atolls.
The Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare confirmed this in his nation wide address over the last hour.
The six were part of 10 people who illegally crossed the border from Tasman Island in Papua New Guinea on the 10th of January 2022.
The Prime Minister revealed that one of those who made the crossing was a medical doctor.
“The number of positive cases is expected to grow rapidly in the coming weeks, and people will get ill as well as loss of life is expected,” Mr Sogavare said.
He said the government is now focusing on managing transmission on Pelau, and will investigate those that cross the border.
Meanwhile, a lockdown of Ongtong Java is immediate as of today.
