COVID-19: Sudan Health Minister warns of deadly fourth wave

The Health Minster, Dr Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, reported that fourth wave of Covid-19 to be vicious, pointing to the increase in both new cases and people filling the isolation centres. Two deaths and 74 new cases of Covid-19 were announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health.

The minister noted at a press conference that only 4.2 per cent of the target population has been vaccinated so far. He added that the number of vaccine-recipients had rose to 800,000 in within six days.

The senior representative of the management of isolation centres in Khartoum, Dr El Taher Abdelrahman, indicated the rate of HIV infection in the fourth Covid-19 wave were also on the rise in 2022 as well as a decrease in vacant beds. He added that the percentage of occupied beds was at 85 per cent and the rates of confirmed cases had increased to 17 per cent. Most notably, the doctor stated that mortality rate was on the rise to 28 per cent and recovery rates decreased by five per cent.

School exams back on schedule

The recently appointed Minister of Education, Mahmoud Sir El-Khatim El-Houry, confirmed that exams for the basic and secondary certificates will be held on time on the scheduled dates, June 11 for the basic, and May 22 for the secondary schools. In a press conference, he indicated the possibility of cancelling the Saturday holiday for schools. He explained that the decision to extend the holiday for the first period of the academic year from February 7 to the 21st was imposed by the increase in cases of coronavirus infection. He explained that the extension includes all public, private, and foreign schools in Khartoum.