George Kumkee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13Feb20:

Tourism Authority of Kiribati participated in the country’s first 2019-nCoV Novel Coronavirus emergency response simulation exercise hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operation Centre in Nawerewere.

The exercise saw the converging of all relevant government and private sector stakeholders at the Operation Centre to firstly learn about nCoV and understand the potential threat it poses on the population if it were to ever reach Kiribati. The exercise also included the discussion of standard response procedures based on the different case scenarios.

Through WHO guidance, participants discussed in detail their responsibilities, responses and standard operating procedures to different levels of Coronavirus threat on Kiribati.

The exercise gave participants a better understanding of the important role of communication during such a national disaster and how each stakeholders role is important to helping prevent any potential outbreak on Coronavirus in Kiribati.

Another key outcome of the exercise was the agreement that national response to Coronavirus outbreak in Kiribati is to be centrally managed through the highest national emergency response body which is the Kiribati National Experts Group (KNEG).

Kiribati has placed control measures on all travellers from areas and territories in countries with ongoing local transmission of Novel Coronavirus. These travellers must spend at least 14 days in a country free of the 2019-nCoV. Travellers arriving earlier than the required 14-day-period may be deported to the country of travel origin depending on the health status of the individual.

Mandatory temperature checks for all incoming passengers have also been activated in all international ports of entry in Kiribati.