Western Highlands Province will go into a two week lock-down starting October 18th.
This was the decision from the Provincial COVID-19 Task Force Committee.
Provincial COVID-19 Chairman, Acting Provincial Administrator, Stanley Maip said this measure is being implemented to control and reduce the surge of COVID-19 in the province.
There will be a ban on the sale of liquor and betel-nut in the province; only licensed bars from hotels and lodges will be allowed to serve liquor to their customers.
All church services will be suspended and a ban placed on funeral service gatherings.
Roadblocks will be set up at all the provincial and district borders, disallowing vehicles from travelling into Mt Hagen.
Health workers, some essential staff and students currently doing grades eight and twelve will be exempted from this lock-down and allowed to travel to and from work and school respectively, given that COVID-19 protocols are strictly followed.
Curfew will start at 6pm and will end at 6am.
Since the start of the COVID-19 surge in the Province on September 17, Mt Hagen General hospital recorded 1388 positive cases and 30 COVID-19 deaths.
