March 24, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s high-level taskforce on coronavirus has noted that some senior government officials and members of the general public are not obeying directives set to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.
This was disclosed by the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, Matur Makur Koryom, following a meeting of the taskforce chaired by the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in Juba on Monday.
“The taskforce has observed with great concern that members of the general public and some senior government officials are not complying with the presidential orders contented in the president’s statement on COVID-19 of 16the March 2020, the communication from the Presidency NO. 1 and NO. 2 of 19th March 2020 and 21st March 2020 respectively, and the Ministry of Health Advisory,” Makur said.
“And therefore the taskforce appeals to senior government officials to observe these regulations,” he added.
Makur who is also the spokesman of the taskforce further said law enforcement agencies have been directed to enforce these measures to make sure that spread of the novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19 is contained.
“[The Taskforce] also instructs the law enforcement agencies the police, the military and the national security forces to take immediate action to impose these orders,” he said.
He explained that some events such as large gatherings such as church activities and sporting events were conducted despite the directives.
“Like for example yesterday on Sunday, despite the fact that the president on 16the March, and also through the communications, have urged the public to decease from engaging in any crowd including prayers and the rest of other things, people congregated in the churches throughout the day and throughout the night, and some sports events took place and some cultural dances took place these have been banned and the law enforcement agencies are accordingly instructed to take measures to disperse these illegal gatherings,” he said.
“This is for the sake of the safety of the people of this country,” he added.
South Sudan is one of the few countries around the world with no confirmed cases of the virus which began from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year.
A number of suspected cases in the country’s capital Juba and some states have tested negative for the novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19.
South Sudan’s neighbors, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia, have all confirmed cases of the virus.
