BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
WESTERN Provincial Health and Medical Authority sent a team to Noro today to carry out a COVID-19 test on a person who was in close contact with the patient who tested positive in Honiara yesterday.
Acting Director of Health and Medical Service Dr Michael Belande said samples will be brought to the Gizo hospital to determine the results.
He also said a contact tracing team was activated to investigate any third-party contact or more from the patient.
“Currently the patient is in isolation.
“Furthermore, our next plan of action will be determined by the test results,” Belande said.
“If the result comes back positive, we will then increase our surveillance so as our procedures,” he added.
Belande said the Western Province’s Health and Medical Service has activated its Covid-19 Response plan.
He adds that the Health team will refine its standard procedure to meet expected outcomes and most of all stop further transmission.
“We will free up staff to undertake needed roles as per our response plan.
“This is a decision we made in our meeting today because we know our Honiara-based front-liners will be busy with cases in Honiara.
“It is our hope that our workforce will cater for the needed services should there be any worst-case scenario,” Belande said. He said the Gizo vaccination center will be relocated to MSG building so that the previous vaccination center will be used as a fast track clinic, where testing of patients with coronavirus like symptom will be done.
