Fall in COVID-19 infections: Sudan’s health committee urges caution

Sudan’s Supreme Health Emergency Committee said yesterday that while there has been a slight decline in the registration of infections and deaths from COVID-19 “the seriousness of the pandemic is still present, the global situation is unstable, and disturbing in the region”. The committee underlined the necessity of adherence to the strict application of health controls at airports, land, and sea border crossings, as well as precautions in schools where “a lack of commitment’ has been reported.

With regard to the safe return of public activities and various gatherings, the committee recommended that an appropriate mechanism should be looked into to follow up the implementation of health precautions and review the penalties imposed for violations of health controls and precautions.

The committee directed the Corona emergency joint room in Khartoum state to meet the affected sectors and agree on a work mechanism that ensures the implementation of health guidelines and the reduction of risks while mitigating the economic, social, and cultural impacts of the suspension of work and operations.

The committee also directed the relevant ministries to coordinate and arrange for the voluntary return of about 2,700 Sudanese citizens from Libya in cooperation with Sudanese and international migration and organisations.

In a report to it on the education sector, the Ministry of Health in Khartoum state said that there is “a clear lack of commitment to health precautions by most parents, departments and students alike,” and called on the public to take the matter seriously and deal with caution.

The Emergency and Epidemic Control Department of the Ministry of Health in Khartoum confirmed the registration of 15 cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 17, while the capital continued to record the majority of cases compared to the rest of the localities cumulatively (6,474 cases).

According to the cumulative report, El Gezira state recorded 2,177 suspected cases, including 983 positive cases and 206 deaths, from October 22 to February 16.