Police headquarters at Konedobu, Port Moresby is in lockdown for at least two days which started at 12pm today for disinfection.
Police minister William Gogl Onglo announced this in a statement this afternoon.
The minister said the lockdown of Konedobu police headquarters was for contractors to disinfect the office building and should not cause any alarm for all police stations around the country.
“Our Deputy Police Commissioner Operations Mr Yamasombi gave notice to all Occupants of Police HQ at Konedobu to vacate their offices today after 12pm simply to disinfect the facility. This was specific and should not affect police operations around the country,” Minister Onglo said.
Deputy Police Commissioner Operations, Donald Yamasombi sent a Minute out this morning to all occupants of the police HQ to vacate their office stating “the building is going to be on lockdown due to cases of Covid-19 being identified at the police HQ.”
“As far as I am concerned, the notice is out and staff members are following the notice and PHQ will resume operations as of Thursday February 25, 2021 as the disinfectant requires at least 24 hours to work properly,” Minister Onglo added.
Mr Onglo also spoke with the commissioner of police who is in isolation after he was tested positive on Saturday.
The minister further stated that commissioner David Manning was also recovering well.
“Our police commissioner was tested positive after taking the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) on Saturday and he is in isolation and is recovering well,” the minister revealed.
“He is still working in isolation responding to emails and urgent government matters,” the police minister said.
The Minister is urging the public to always be mindful and observe the Covid-19 protocol and more importantly to wear masks every time.
He said Papua New Guineans must begin to understand and embrace Covid-19 just like many other infections we are now living with.
“In medieval times, Leprosy was viewed differently and those infected were isolated and now, we live with it. Many others like TB, HIV, and measles are all the same,” minister Onglo stressed.
“Covid-19 is here to stay too and we must follow the precautionary rules to avoid being infected instead of jumping up and down when we hear someone is infected.”
