Facebook virus lies 'biggest challenge' to PNG vaccine drive: minister

Here Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape receiving a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, as the health minister called disinformation spread on Facebook the "biggest challenge" during the pandemic. — AFP

Papua New Guinea's health minister on Thursday called disinformation spread on Facebook the "biggest challenge" to efforts to curb the rampant spread of Covid-19 in the poor Pacific nation.

Jelta Wong said "dangerous" posts and anti-vax conspiracy theories were hampering the drive to get people to seek treatment and testing for the disease as infection numbers soar.