Papua New Guinea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed reports that the border between PNG and the Indonesian province of Papua in West Sepik is closed or is about to be closed as a counter measure against the possible spread of SARS.
Provincial administrators in West Sepik say the border should be closed since two people reportedly caught the deadly virus in Indonesia, and the province does not have the facilities to screen and monitor SARS.
But the Foreign Affairs representative in Vanimo, Moses Kaul, says that the provincial administrations have been jumping the gun, and that it's up to the government to close borders.
Mr Kaul says the government is taking the appropriate steps to consult officials from the International SARS Taskforce due later this week.
"That will be making further recommendations based on the information we will be feeding them as they come into the province and then we will be forwarding a recommendation for possible closure to the government for consideration."
