PM Urges MV Awka Passengers from Ontong Java to Call and Do Not Move
BY ALEX DADAMU
THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Health team has confirmed one positive case in Honiara.
This new case was one of the passengers that travelled from ontong java on board the vessel MV Awka that arrived in Honiara, on 10th, January 2022, after departing from Liuaniua ontong Java on 9th January 2022.
Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare in a special address this morning confirmed that this latest case was sent for swabbing by his employer, who upon hearing the PM’s address yesterday morning, was concerned, as this individual has just returned from ontong Java.
Speaking directly to all passengers that travelled on MV Awka from ontong Java to Honiara, on 10th January 2022, in his nation-wide address this morning, Prime Minister Sogavare urged those passengers to “please remain where you are, and urgently call these two numbers to inform the health team where you are – 115 or 25256.”
“If you are a relative or a neighbour of a person that arrived from ontong Java on MV Aqua on 10th of January or of the person of the family that the passenger stayed with since arriving, please call 115 or 25256 to inform the health team.
“When you call please inform the person answering the phone your name, whether you are a passenger on MV Aqua or a contact of a passenger that travelled on MV Aqua that arrived in Honiara on 10th January 2020, your address and location, names and contacts of any other person that you know that had travelled on the vessel or is a contact of the person (s) that travelled on the vessel.
Prime Minister Sogavare further confirmed that the COVID-19 situation in Honiara currently is much more serious than in Ontong Java, because the extent of the spread of the virus in the city is yet to be established.
“Next steps, we will look at identifying the geographical boundaries of infection. That is because we have yet to establish the full extent of the COVID-19 infection in Honiara since this diagnosis, however, as the positive case lived in a house or with others, and as some other passengers that travelled on the vessel as have been reported to be unwell. I am sad to inform you that we already have community transmission of COVID 19 in Honiara.
“The important priority in the next 24 to 48 hours is to one identify the exact location of all the passengers that arrived in Honiara from on Java on 10th January 2022. And secondly, determine the geographical boundaries of infection in anticipation of a lockdown.
Prime Minister, Sogavare said the cabinet will meet later this morning to consider a lockdown of the city from 6 pm this evening – to allow time for Honiara to access food.
The Prime Minister in the meantime reiterated for all passengers that travelled on MV Awka from ontong Java to Honiara, on 10th January 2022, to “remain where you are, and urgently call these two numbers to inform the health team where you are – 115 or 25256.”
