April 6, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s Unity state government has released dozens of prisoners as part of preventive measures to combat the coronavirus.
This comes a day after the country, the world’s youngest, confirmed it’s first case of the novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19.
First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar said during a press conference at Pyramid Juba Hotel on Sunday that the patient who is a female UN staffer arrived in the country over a month ago.
Machar who is also the deputy chairperson of the high-level taskforce to combat the coronavirus said the patient – a Dutch citizen – was in a stateble condition and that efforts were being made by the government and the UN mission in the country to trace those who might have contacted him.
In a statement to Nyamilepedia this afternoon, the Director General of Unity state ministry of information Kang Bol said the state government released 42 inmates to decongest the prison over fears of coronavirus.
“More than 40 inmates have been released from Bentiu Central prison, as a part of government efforts to decongest holding facilities and curb the spread of coronavirus,” he said.
He further added that only 32 inmates in incarceration advising the general public to take the preventive measures seriously.
