BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

A number of people who had been quarantined will be discharged today (Tuesday 17th March).

Dickson Mua, Minister for Health and Medical Services confirmed this to Island Sun on Monday 16th March.

Mr Mua fell short of revealing how many will be released.

He explains that the persons to be released had been quarantined for the last 14 days according to the national travel advisory requirement, and had not exhibited coronavirus symptoms throughout.

“These individuals have been quarantined as they have been to countries exposed to the virus.

“The continuous health checks carried out by health practitioners revealed they haven’t been infected by the virus after being monitored closely for 14 days in the restricted facility.

He said apart from that, there is one person placed at the Isolation ward at the National Referral Hospital as the person was suspected to have symptoms of COVID-19.

However, health checks were carried and results turned out different from COVID-19 symptoms so the person was discharged from the isolation unit on the same day.   

Meanwhile, samples and specimen of the two suspected persons who developed COVID-19 symptoms had been airlifted to Melbourne, Australia and test results will be available on Wednesday 18th and on Thursday 19th March.

One of the two suspects is a foreigner and the one is a returning resident.

Sixteen people had been quarantined, 10 in quarantine institutions and six in home-quarantine.

Government faces difficult options over calls for total ban on incoming travels

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

SHOULD Solomon Islands just put a blanket ban on all incoming flights and ships? There is no simple answer to this as government works around the clock to find a solution amid growing calls from a nervous public and an imminent entry by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

As of late, government is trying to avoid simply just putting a total ban on incoming flights and ships since this will have “major adverse impact on trade, economy, legal and other areas”.

Instead, an oversight committee seated at the Prime Minister’s office chaired by the Secretariat to the Cabinet is looking at “other” options available to them, in search for which one will have the least negative impact on the country.

Dr Jimmy Rodgers, Special Secretary to Prime Minister, said the oversight committee has “looked into all the options that they could take, ranging from a complete lock-down of the country to just self-quarantine, and in between, there are a number of options and these options have different implications.

“So, for instance when you talking about locking down of the country you really gonna answer the questions how much of our survival depends on our trade outside of this country but there is also a much bigger picture than for close down questions,” said Mr Rodgers.

He assured public that the committee is conducting assessments on the implications associated with the options, conducting economic assessment to ensure there is no economic viability in these options and social assessments to see the impacts on public.  

Rodgers said Solomon Islands is learning from other countries’ experiences to help assist in making decisions which will not undermine the country’s capacity in dealing with COVID-19.

He said the committee also got the ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries to assess food capability, assess shops to see what are in the shops, how long will the supplies last as the country talks about locking down.

Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health, said with this option they are trying to ensure and take into account the implications on our trade and the economy.

“If we are to restrict all flights or have a lock down for instance, we may have other health implications like we won’t be able to send our samples to Australia for testing, we may not be able to have our emergency supplies on time.

“These are the implications that may come on board so we are looking at the various scenarios to what best fits for our situation,” she said.

Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration, Mr Riley Mesepitu said, “At moment we are liaising with the ministry of Health to give us instructions when exactly are we going to move into banning of flights coming into Solomon Islands.”

These sentiments were echoed at a joint talk back show focusing on Coroanvuris-19 held over the weekend at the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) in Honiara.

Country prepares for worst as it waits for test results of two coronavirus suspects early this week

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE country is holding its breath as it awaits results to samples from two persons suspected of having the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).
Health authorities say the first could be received as early as today, Monday, March 16, with the second on Wednesday.
The first sample was sent on Friday last week, and the second on Sunday 15th March.
If the results return positive then Solomon Islands will officially have its first coronavirus case.
Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Pauline McNeil, at a talkback show yesterday at the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), said, “The samples have been sent to Melbourne. Hence, the ministry of health is waiting for the two samples until we know of the results then we can say there’s an infected case in the country, but now it’s only suspected.
“As to date the country has not yet had any confirmed case of COVID-19.”
In preparing for the worst, health authorities are getting an isolation ward ready at the national referral hospital (NRH); a triage area is also being set up where persons can be assessed.
Mrs McNeil said laboratory testing for COVID-19 is done is Australia.
She said the ministry is also looking at options for testing COVID-19 here.
“Currently the surveillance team is finalising contact tracing procedures for any confirmed cases for COVID-19.”
Director Laboratory at the NRH Alfred Dofai said the last four cases of suspected carriers had taken 72 hours before the results were made known.
“So, with the recent ones we have sent one sample on Friday and we still following it up and then another one was sent yesterday to Melbourne,” said Dofai.
Dr Neimia Bainivalu Undersecretary for Ministry of Health said if the results are positive the ministry is prepared.
Bainivalu explains that they will work on various fronts.
“One is to work in coordination in terms of law with various ministries and various arms of government, secondly in terms of trying to assist in our borders like seaport and airport we are working closely with immigrations and customs to impose the travel restriction that actually imposed now, also we do temperature screening to all passengers that came in at the airport and already more than 1000 plus passengers have been screened.
“Apart from that we have set guidelines and protocol on if we have one positive case of COIVD-19 and to also provide accurate and rightful information to the public through risk communication team,” he said.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
BLOOD sample of a foreigner suspected of having symptom of Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) was send to Australia for test.
This was confirmed by Dickson Mua Minister for Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) on Friday 13th March.
According to Minister Mua, the person is foreigner and is on home quarantine and has developed symptoms of Coronavirus-19, hence the person was checked on Thursday night and swaps taken.
“There though a person on home quarantined who developed symptoms and the foreigner was checked last night (Thursday night) and swaps taken. Samples will be sent to Australia.
“A health checks this morning (Friday morning) confirms the person is well again.” he said.
Mua adds there hasn’t yet any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country as there is no sample had been sent nor returned to confirm.
In press statement sent by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services yesterday Permanent Secretary Pauline McNeil said “now is the time for us to come together as a community: to replace fear and speculation with facts, to get informed, and to be prepared. We are not powerless against COVID-19. There are actions we can take to protect ourselves.
“We know that the virus spreads from person to person through droplets when a person coughs, sneezes or breathes out. So, even before COVID-19 is in our communities, we should be getting into the habit of washing our hands several times a day with soap and water; covering our coughs and sneezes with an elbow, or a tissue; and keeping one metre distance from others when we are sick.”
Moreover, according to his Facebook post on Wednesday 11th of March Mua clarified a total of 16 person have been under quarantined as they have been to countries that under the watch of the Solomon Islands government.
“May I clarify the questions on “Quarantine” as of 11/03/20. So far, we have 9 (8 males, 1female) persons on our quarantine site at Henderson Known VIMO accommodation. Additional to that we also have 7 (5 males, 2 females) on home quarantine. They are checked daily/regularly monitored and all so far are ok and well.
“We put them on quarantine based on their travel history being to affected countries or transiting in those affected countries. They have been separated and be restricted on movement.
“They are not quarantined because they show signs and symptoms but because has travelled from affected countries and might possibly exposed to COVID-19 at airstrips or during flight.
“Quarantine can help to limit the spread of COVID -19 through social media and observing whether these persons become sick or not.
“We must acknowledge the risk and task our front liners are taking in checking incoming travelers,” Minister Mua said.

THE ministry of Health (MHMS) has confirmed that there is no coronavirus case in the country.

In a media statement on Thursday 12th March, the ministry said, “The Ministry of Health and Medical Services wishes to reassure the public that as of today’s [Thursday 12th March] date there are no confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.

The Permanent Secretary of the MHMS Mrs Pauline McNeil says as to date the country has no confirmed cases and would like to inform the public that MHMS and its Partners continues to work together in the COVID-19 preparedness and response plans.

“The PS would also like to acknowledge other Government Ministries and stakeholders for the collaborative efforts in the preparedness and responses so far.”

McNeil appeals to the public to seek correct and accurate information through the MHMS to avoid unnecessary and misleading information.

“Furthermore, McNeil calls upon the general public to remain vigilant and continue to practice good hygiene practices such as; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, wash your hands often with water and soap or use hand sanitizer, keep your distance from others at least one metre away.

“The public can call 23650 or 7522202 should they need update information on the COVID-19.”

–MHMS PRESS