PNG Recorded 600 cases, 17 deaths in September

SIX-hundred Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases and 17 deaths were reported from 16 provinces over a week last month, according to the PNG Covid-19 health situation report.
Between Sept 20 and 26, about 90 per cent of the cases were diagnosed over the previous 21 days, suggesting ongoing community transmission.
NCD accounted for the highest number of infections and deaths (19 per cent), followed by Western (18), Western Highlands (13), Eastern Highlands (12), Morobe (11) and West Sepik and Enga (both 7).
Deaths reported were from six provinces, Eastern Highlands (9), Western (4), NCD (1), Western Highlands (1), West Sepik (1) and Enga (1) with 60 per cent reported to have had underlying comorbidities.
All deaths reported were unvaccinated persons.

There were 57 vaccine break-through infections (post vaccination) which accounted for almost 10 per cent of all cases reported over the seven days in which 96 per cent had received AstraZeneca vaccine while 4 per cent received other vaccines, Johnson & Johnson or Sinopharm.
About 90 per cent of the re-infected cases were asymptomatic.
Current surveillance data is showing that vaccinated persons are at lower risk of developing severe infections, hospitalisation and deaths.
The deaths are commonly among those over 50 years old with or without comorbidity and unvaccinated.
As of Sept 26, the hotline received a total of 286,974 calls.
Of these, 6,594 (2.3 per cent) were health-related calls.
A total of 2,809 calls to date had been referred to rapid response teams/provincial health authorities (PHAs).
For the reporting period of Sept 20-26, the Covid-19 national Hotline received an increase of 2,240 calls.
Of these, 26 (about 1.16 per cent) were health-related calls and 17-26 were referred to the respective rapid response team/PHA.

The National 
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