Papua New Guinea’s University of Technology (Unitech) has gone into a two weeks lock-down following the deaths of two (2) senior academics from the same department, a day apart from each other.
According to the university’s website, the move is a precautionary measure as both academics showed signs related to COVID-19 especially shortness of breath prior to their passing.
According to the post, the university lost Prof. John Pumwa on Saturday April 3 and then Mr Karo Komuna day later.
Pumwa was the university’s first national Professor and Head of Department for Mechanical Engineering while Komuna was a Mechanical Engineering lecturer.
The cause of their deaths is yet to be confirmed. However, the university’s management is imposing a two week total lock-down as an interim precautionary measure to halt and mitigate, if any, community transmission.
The following are the measures imposed by the management:
- Mandatory wearing of mask on Taraka campus by students, staff and dependents. Nobody should be in a public space without a mask.
- Social distancing is now compulsory. Maintenance of 1.5m spacing
- Use of hand sanitizing spray or gel regularly
- Area 5 gate will be locked permanently for the 14 days.
- Staff, students and dependents with proper IDs will be allowed through the gates.
- All gates will be locked after 10 pm.
The university management will issue other preventative measures and directives later in the week.