More than 30 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Sudan

The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced 34 new COVID-19 patients in the country by Monday. Red Sea state is the most affected. Free coronavirus tests have been cancelled. North Kordofan state launched a support programme.

The total number of coronavirus cases since the outbreak of the disease in Sudan in March reached 13,460, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday.

While Khartoum registered eight new patients on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, Eastern Sudan’s Red Sea state reported 20 confirmed cases and four suspected cases, while one new patient was recorded in Kassala.

Tahani Amin, Director of the Ministry of Health’s Directorate General of Emergency and Epidemic Control explained to reporters in Khartoum that 2,725 samples were examined during these three days. 69 were taken from suspected cases in Sudan, the rest from people arriving to the country by bus, sea, or air.

She said that no deaths have been recorded since September 11, when a total of 836 deaths was reported. 6,764 registered patients recovered.

Though the lockdown was lifted in the country two weeks ago, the Ministry of Health called on the Sudanese to adhere to the health precautions, and keep social distancing, regular wash one’s hands, and sneeze and cough in the elbow.

Free tests cancelled

Most airlines and sealines require a negative COVID-19 test result when leaving the country. For this purpose, the Ministry of Health has identified a number of government and private laboratories for coronavirus tests.

The ministry cancelled the gratis tests for travellers in government laboratories. Government employees are paying SDG2,000, staff members of private institutions and companies have to pay SDG6,500, and other Sudanese pay SDG4,000.

The costs of a COVID-19 test in a private laboratory are about SDG15,000. The examination is done for free for patients and other special cases.

Affected Families Programme

The Social Development Department of the North Kordofan state government has launched an Affected Families Programme.

According to the Director of the Social Development Department, Maysara El Imam, the support contains a smart card for poor families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in all seven localities of the state.

She said that they started the programme after a case study of the department conducted among 3,000 families in North Kordofan revealed that in particular low-income families have been “greatly affected by the coronavirus”.

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