I have no qualms coming out in public about this. I am now in isolation on 14 days lockdown.

I would not wish this on anyone, least of all on members of the same family.

It is not nice. Its morbidity in the country is serious, increasing and more than worrying.

The proof of mortality from Covid-19 is not something we can deny or hide. It is a disaster waiting to happen. Disputing the evidence and statistics is not going to make it go away.

As I post this I am 48 hours into isolation. I am in an age group that is regarded vulnerable.

This isn’t about self-pity on my part.

Rather, I would regard this as a personal responsibility to share my own predicament by exercising common sense together with advice from medical science which, unfortunately, a large chunk of the population are reluctant to believe or accept.

I share the same sentiments with ministers from the Autonomous Bougainville Government and national parliamentarians who have come out publicly after testing positive.

For now let me thank Aspen Medical Harbour City medical staff at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium for the voluntary testing they are doing on a daily basis.

Their health workers are also stretched to the limit every day looking at the numbers of company staff and individuals that turn up at their facility throughout the day.

I can only imagine what it must be like at Port Moresby General Hospital.

Take care.

Simon Pentanu is speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives