COVID testing extended in Sudan

The Ministry of Health of Khartoum state announced yesterday that COVID-19 tests for travellers can now be done at Jabra Hospital in Khartoum, and El Rakha Health Centre in Omdurman, in addition to other laboratories. Haemorrhagic and Rift Valley fever are still spreading.

The ministry said in a press statement on Wednesday that the tests can be done from Saturday to Thursday. The results will be ready within 48 hours.

The fees for the coronavirus tests have been set at SDG6,500 for Sudanese and SDG10,000 for foreigners.

Yesterday, the federal Ministry of Health reported 18 new COVID-19 cases as of Monday (October 26). This represents a larger increase in patients than in former days.

The ministry recorded two new cases (one in Khartoum and one in El Gezira) on October 24, and three (all in Khartoum) on October 25.

So far, 13,765 COVID-19 cases were recorded in Sudan since the start of the pandemic. 837 patients died and 6,764 others recovered.

Haemorrhagic fever

El Borgeig locality in Northern State recorded four new suspected cases of haemorrhagic fever, including one death, bringing the suspected cases to 76. 20 deaths of livestock were recorded.

Hamda Mohamed, director of Animal Resources in the locality, told Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that they have intensified operations of combating the vector by spraying, in addition to monitoring slaughterhouses to reduce the spread of cases, while noting that the results of sample tests sent to the Soba laboratory in Khartoum have not yet been published.

Rift Valley Fever

An outbreak of Rift Valley fever following the heavy Nile floods over the past months has killed dozens of people and infected more than 1,000 in Merowe, El Debba, and Kerima in Northern State, according to local doctors, however, the Sudanese government has so far denied there is an outbreak of the disease.

As reported by Radio Dabanga two weeks ago, members of the United Resistance Coordination of Merowe in the Northern State reported that the number of deaths from Rift Valley fever has risen to 79, while the number of recorded cases reached 1,962, including three cases of nervous system complications. 4,578 miscarriages and deaths have been recorded among livestock.

The Coordination called on the Sudanese Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Animal Resources to declare an epidemic of Rift Valley fever and to open the door for international and voluntary organisations to intervene and assist.

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