COVID-19 lockdown lifted in Sudan

Sudan’s High Committee for Health Emergencies is to lift the COVID-19 lockdown in the country, however the State of Health Emergency will be maintained.

In a statement on Wednesday, the High Committee pointed to the importance of observing the necessary health measures and adhering to the directives issued by the Ministry of Health to limit the transmission of the virus in the country, “as the COVID-19 pandemic has not disappeared yet”.

Activities are allowed again in halls, public gardens, exhibitions, and clubs, while the curfew is reduced to 22:00-06:00. Sports matches can resume provided no spectators are present.

In the most recent figures, the Ministry of Health announced the registration of 30 new COVID-19 cases, including one death, bringing the total cumulative number of infections since the beginning of the pandemic to 13,437, including 833 deaths, while 6,730 people have recovered.

Schools

As reported by Radio Dabanga this week, The Sudanese Minister of Education Mohamed El Amin El Tom announced that the opening of the new school year will be postponed until November 22, as the schools are “not ready yet”.

A lot of school buildings have been damaged by the heavy rainfall and floods this year, Education Minister Mohamed El Amin El Tom said at a press conference.

Initially, the classes would be resumed on September 27, but apart from the damaged school buildings, “there are real difficulties facing the start of the new school year,” the minister said. He specifically mentioned shortages of teachers desks, seats, and textbooks, and more in general a bad infrastructure. “The schools are not ready to start yet.”

Medical teams

Five medical Rapid Response Teams have been dispatched in Sudan to help combat the spread of infectious diseases.

The teams have been sent to various parts in the country for a period of three months to support medical staff combating the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases. They must also strengthen the coordination between Khartoum and the states.

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