No new coronavirus cases in Sudan, PM sacks governor of Khartoum

For two days in a row, no new coronavirus cases were recorded in the country. Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok dismissed the governor of Khartoum on Thursday.

No new cases were reported on Tuesday and Wednesday. Three of the 32 confirmed patients have recovered. Only one suspected case remains in quarantine, the Ministry of Health reported. The Covid-19 death toll in Sudan reached six on on Thursday evening, when a 65-year-old man from East Nile locality in Khartoum North died of the virus.

Yesterday, PM Hamdok relieved the military governor of Khartoum from his position. Sources say Lt Gen Ahmed Abdoun was dismissed hours after he refused to ban group prayers in Khartoum mosques during the three-week lockdown that starts tomorrow. Minister of Governance Yousef El Dei will take over his position until the appointment of a new governor.

In its meeting yesterday, chaired by Hamdok, the Council of Ministers emphasised the necessity to adhere to the decision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to temporarily suspend gatherings in places of worship in Khartoum.

The ministers discussed the arrangements and measures taken by the relevant ministries and state agencies to ward off the coronavirus pandemic, the doubling of the number of patients from 15 to 32 since last weekend, and the decision of the High Committee for Health Emergencies to close down Khartoum for a period of three weeks.

During the lockdown, people in the residential districts of the capital are allowed to leave their homes from 6 am until 1 pm to purchase their main needs. Cash can be withdrawn from bank accounts by telephone applications.

Exceptions to the curfew have been made for medical staff, health emergencies, people suffering from chronic diseases, and to personnel of bakeries, provided that the members of the Freedom and Change service committees sell the bread from sale centres in order to prevent gatherings at the bakeries.

The Khartoum Security Committee stated that police and security forces will patrol the neighbourhoods, and be strict in enforcing the lockdown.

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