Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Akol is the latest senior government official to publicly share his positive coronavirus status in South Sudan.
Abdelbag made the announcement on Wednesday on live TV on Wednesday night and urged the public to adhere to the preventive measures.
He is said to be in good health and will be self-isolating.
“The task force [on Covid-19] is working tirelessly to curb the level of spread and transmission. However, the general public must comply with such regulations in order to enable us to fight coronavirus effectively,” Abdelbag said.
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As of May 28, South Sudan had 994 confirmed Covid-19 cases. and six recoveries and 10 fatalities.
It recorded its first case on April 5 after a 29-year-old woman tested positive, having arrived into the country from Ethiopia.
Consequently, President Salva Kiir imposed restrictions, among them banning public gatherings and closure of all learning institutions.
These restrictions were, however, lifted three weeks ago amid criticism from various South Sudanese stakeholders.
Juba has also given the go-ahead for the resumption of domestic and international flights
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On May 25, President Kiir had to appear in public to deny handing over power to VP Abdelbagi and that he had contracted coronavirus.
In a live press conference outside his J1 home in Juba, Kiir denied that he was sick and airlifted to Egypt for further treatment.
He termed the reports as propaganda.
First Vice President Riek Machar, his wife and Defence Minister Angelina Teny, their staff and bodyguards on May 18 announced they had tested positive for coronavirus.
Teny was the deputy chairman of the country’s High-Level Task Force Committee on Covid-19.
The other previous members of the task force who tested positive are Minister of Cabinet Affairs Dr. Martin Elia Lomurö, Interior Minister Paul Mayom Akec, Minister of National Security Obote Mamur Mete, Finance and Planning Minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, Trade and Industry’s Kuol Athian, Minister and Information Minister Michael Makwei Lueth.
