Pacific's fight against Covid-19 hamstrung by lack of clean water

Access to clean, safe drinking water across the Pacific is the lowest of any region in the world, raising fears for the rapid spread of coronavirus

Papua New Guinea's battle against a climbing rate of Covid-19 infections is being hampered by the most basic of shortages - access to clean water -public health experts have warned.

Case numbers have jumped from just 11 cases two months ago to 424 on Friday, with four deaths. And efforts to contain escalating case numbers throughout the archipelago, and to prevent outbreaks across the Pacific region, are being hamstrung because thousands cannot access clean water for hand-washing and cleaning, the region's key development agency says.