Sudan govt to extend Khartoum curfew

The government is moving to extend the comprehensive ban imposed on Khartoum state. 100 new coronavirus cases were recorded yesterday.

El Rashid Saeed, first undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Information said at a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic yesterday evening that an extension of the curfew in Khartoum will be announced soon.

Whether or not to extend the coronavirus ban that limits movement is studied by the Ministry of Health, he said. A decision will be taken before the ban ends on May 9.

Minister of Health Akram El Tom expressed his concern over the 100 new coronavirus infections recorded yesterday.

“If all health and personal safety measures are not adhered to, we expect to reach 1,000 new patients daily by the end of the week,” he warned.

He added: “If the measures are not adhered to, it is very likely that we will extend the ban.”

Um Hosh in El Tawisha locality in North Darfur was quarantined yesterday after a coronavirus case was confirmed. The locality decided to close all shops except pharmacies from 6 pm to 6 am.

Patrols from police, medical personnel and resistance committees will close the roads leading to El Tawisha locality, allowing only cargo vehicles to pass.

En Nahud in West Kordofan closed all shops in the locality for a week starting today. Pharmacies, butchers, bakeries, mills, groceries, and vegetable shops are allowed to stay open until 2 pm.

Abu Hamed locality in River Nile state granted the local employees paid leave for two weeks, starting today. The locality also extended the 12 pm to 6 am curfew in the locality.

The Sudan Doctors Central Committee reported that there are now two isolation centres for coronavirus patients in Red Sea state (in Port Sudan and Suakin), and four medical shelters, two in Port Sudan, one in Oseif, and one in Gorora.

The committee described the conditions in the shelters and the quarantine centres in a report as “not good”. The shelters and isolation centres face shortages of food and other daily necessities, the doctors claim.

The committee said that Red Sea state suffers from severe shortages of medical personnel and protective equipment.

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