BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
PEOPLE at Wagina Ward 1 in Choiseul Province, are advised not to panic after recently recording eight positive Coronavirus (Covid-19) case for the province.
Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Wagina Ward 1 Hon. Movete Tupou Kabiri advised his people to follow health regulations that have been announced nationwide, and that is to wear masks, carry out social distancing and mostly stay at home.
Mr Kabiri said abiding to health regulations is to avoid any future trouble that might occur in the community.
“It will be dangerous if we do not follow health COVID-19 regulations so it will be best to adhere to them. Abide by regulations imposed by the health authorities and even regulations put in place by the Oversight Committee.
“Make sure do not panic and stay at home. Try to avoid the usual socialising together in groups,” said Kabiri.
On the other hand, the MPA is urging Choiseul’s Provincial Disaster Operating Centre (PDOC), especially through the health authority to pull up their timing of duty that has to do with contact tracing, advice, and presence.
This is because as according to Mr Kabiri, they are suspecting that the virus has been at Wagina for quite some time now.
“The positive case identified in Wagina had traveled on a vessel which arrived here on January 18. By that time, when that particular vessel arrived, during then, I know this virus had already been in Wagina. Only there has been not enough testing and thorough contact tracing done to determine the exact extent of the virus infection in the community.
“Also, during that period, people from Northwest and the Southern parts of Choiseul came here to sell betel nut at Wagina. Wagina is the gateway of the province for trade and related activities.
“I suspect the virus is already present throughout the province. So the health authority needs to quickly do contact tracing, if not, once the situation explodes it will be already all over the province,” said Kabiri.
“The people to be treated are at the villages and if the health authority does not carry out proper measures then the spread of Covid-19 will be like wildfire in Choiseul.
“From my understanding, we should already be five steps ahead while the situation is in step one. Not stepping up to quickly address contact tracing and such is not good.
“The spread will be bigger than other provinces if we are not careful because our health authority is slow in doing their part,” Mr. Kabiri pointed out.
He added that the people also need to strongly adhere to Covid-19 measures and protocols as well.
“We have already heard from the Talk-Back Shows, the Oversight Committee advises to be patient with what the government is doing which includes transportations of cargoes. Let us try to be patient with the national government and those helping out.
“I thank the police and all partners assisting including the health authority. Be reminded to also follow protocols because logistic support might be affected too causing us to end up facing bigger hiccups rather than trying to solve our situation.
“Currently we need proactive actions to step up. We need to catch up on the level where Covid-19 is now in our province.
“Not only at Wagina but the whole of Choiseul, do not panic, being proactive needs to take place in the province, as PDOC and the health authority leading the fight against Covid-19 needs to take some extra measures while we are at this stage of situation.”
Meanwhile, a text message received by Mr. Kabiri on early Monday this week from Choiseul’s Provincial Secretary (PS) has answered the MPA’s call.
The PS confirmed that through this week, Rokoso to Sivai including Wagina will be under a local lockdown for contact tracing and that boats had already left for awareness.
“Rokoso to Sivai including Wagina to be under local ‘lockdown’ for contact tracing, Exco endorsed that yesterday [Sunday]. The provincial PDOC has been instructed yesterday to work together with national authorities for the declaration of the lockdown.
“3 [three] boats left yesterday for awareness and contact tracing,” messaged Choiseul’s Provincial Secretary.
