In Brief: Diarrhoea in Solomons leaves 16 dead

The Ministry of Health in Solomon Islands has declared a nationwide diarrhoea outbreak, which has resulted in the deaths of 16 young children in the past two weeks.

Diarrhoea in Solomons leaves 16 dead

SOLOMON ISLANDS – The Ministry of Health in Solomon Islands has declared a nationwide diarrhoea outbreak which has resulted in the deaths of 16 young children in the past two weeks. It says medical teams are dealing with the outbreaks which has affected over 1000 people. The Ministry says the outbreaks have been reported in six provinces, including Guadalcanal, Western Province, Choiseul, Malaita, Central and Makira. The Health Ministry’s Dr Chris Becha says diarrhoea is a leading cause of death in children under five years-old. He says rotavirus has been confirmed as the cause of the outbreaks in Honiara, Guadalcanal and Gizo, Western Province.

PNG forces rescue three ‘sorcerers’

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Security forces in Papua New Guinea’s Enga Province have rescued three women who were being held captive and tortured by a mob from a neighbouring village. According to EMTV, the relatives of a young girl accused the women of practicing sorcery after the girl allegedly fell into a coma. The family accused the women of killing the girl spiritually by removing her heart and sharing it. The Joint Forces Deputy Controller, Senior Inspector Segi, says the women have admitted they were driven by a bad spirit to practice sorcery. Segi says the women are being held at Paiam police station while an investigation is carried out. The girl’s relatives, who are facing charges, have been advised to take her to hospital for a medical check up.

Backtrack on MA60 plane report

TONGA – The World Bank is set to backtrack on a draft report recommending Tonga ground its new MA60 aircraft gifted by China. The report said there was nothing to prove that Tonga had properly validated the plane. But Tongan authorities disagreed and said the bank had not approached them to see their paperwork. The Chinese manufacturer, AVIC, strongly criticised the report and the World Bank is now set to withdraw the references to the MA60. The decision comes after a New Zealand aircraft inspector, Peter Williams, reviewed the plane and the validation process at the weekend. The New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, is currently in Tonga and meeting with the deputy Prime Minister, Samiu Vaipulu, who has been locked in a debate with New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully over the plane’s certification and safety.

Vanuatu escapee hunt stepped up

VANUATU – The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Vanuatu says the police operation hunting for two escaped prisoners has been stepped up after a deadline to surrender lapsed. The pair were part of a group of seven who escaped last week, though five have since surrendered to police. The Deputy Commissioner of Police says he had earlier warned the prisoners to surrender, saying if they didn’t they would be hunted down by Vanuatu Mobile Officers and shot. “They can hide, they can run, they can swim, they can fly, but at the end of the day, the law wins, and we will get them.” Taleo says the chiefs of the villages the men belong to have also appealed for them to surrender.

Unhappy with dismissal of complaints

FIJI – A senior New Caledonian politician says after the latest acid spill, the Vale nickel plant should be closed and ore processing done elsewhere, possibly in Australia, New Zealand or Papua New Guinea. Roch Wamytan, who is the head of the pro-independence Caledonian Union, made the suggestion in his first television interview since the prolonged rioting by young people from Saint-Louis, whose chief he is. He says he is in favour of shutting the Vale plant because spills into the World Heritage Site area have continued despite repeated promises, after earlier industrial accidents, that safety would be improved to prevent such incidents. Wamytan says he is in favour of maintaining the mining activity but move the processing to a less fragile place.