A COVID-19 catastrophe unfolding in a neighbouring nation has prompted Scott Morrison to take drastic and immediate action to protect Australians.
Papua New Guinea is dealing with an alarming rise in daily coronavirus cases, which the prime minister has branded a “great concern”.
Mr Morrison said the outbreak in PNG presents a “very real risk” to Australia and, as a result, a number of restrictions will be brought in.
Picture: Joel Carrett/NCA NewsWire
From midnight tonight all passenger flights from PNG to Cairns will be suspended for a fortnight, with authorities to reassess the situation after that time.
All charter flights from the country to Australia will also be suspended, apart from limited exemptions such as medevac and other critical flights.
All outbound travel exemptions by Australians to PNG will be suspended, unless you are an essential worker. FIFO workers will not be included in the list of exempted parties.
Australia will also be offering more medical support to the neighbouring country, with more medical supplies and vaccines to be shipped out from next week.
