Coronavirus lockdown in Khartoum to be eased next week

The High Commission for Health Emergencies announced that the lockdown in Khartoum will be extended for an additional week, from June 30 to July 7. The restrictions will be gradually eased from Wednesday 8 July onwards, Siddig Tawir, member of the Sovereign Council and chairman of the health commission, said yesterday.

Tawir said that the gradual lifting of the lockdown in Khartoum state will start by reducing the curfew hours, and gradually permitting the resumption of work. All of this must happen in accordance with the measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.  

The 17 other Sudanese states are to decide themselves on the coronavirus measures.

The Public Transportation Company in Khartoum announced on Sunday that it will stop transporting medical personnel between their homes and the hospitals.

The company said it cannot continue its work because security forces on the streets and at the bridges often do not acknowledge the exemption permits that allow the vehicles to transport medical staff.

More than 100 public transport vehicle owners have been operating as volunteers since the first day of the lockdown. They received permits to transport health personnel free of charge.

At least 44,000 people working in the medical sector used the initiative, Mohamed Diaeldin, Director General of the Public Transportation Company said in a press statement.

Yet, the permits have been frequently confiscated, and vehicles were prohibited from crossing the bridges. “All attempts to solve this have failed, so we are forced to stop the service,” Diaeldin stated.

Basic School exams

On Wednesday, the Sudanese Ministry of Education stated that the postponed Basic School exams will take place between July 12 and July 20. However, the students are not allowed to prepare for the exams together in a “study camp”, as is the custom in the country.

The exams were originally scheduled to take place in March.

The federal Ministry of Health published the latest numbers on the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in Sudan on Saturday. On Wednesday a total of 9,257 Covid-19 cases had been recorded. 572 people died and 4,014 patients recovered.

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