Sudan records first case of coronavirus infection through direct contact

On Thursday, the Sudanese Ministry of Health reported the first coronavirus patient who was infected through direct contact within the country, bringing the number of confirmed cases of the virus to eight. 800 Sudanese troops coming from Yemen are in quarantine. A minister and a state minister are still in self-isolation.

The first seven coronavirus (Covid-19) cases were Sudanese and foreigners who came from abroad, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Sarah Abdelazim said in a press statement on Thursday.

The Red Sea state Ministry of Health has kept about 800 Sudanese army soldiers and paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces in quarantine after they arrived by sea to Port Sudan.

The ship they were on was isolated in an outer area of the Port Sudan harbour for a period of 14 days.

The time of return of these soldiers coincided with a number of emergency measures taken by the Sudanese government to ward off the coronavirus pandemic. The measures included the closing of the borders, a dusk-to-dawn curfew, and a ban on gatherings.

On Friday, the authorities in Kassala instructed shops not selling food, drinks, or medicines to close for a period of two weeks.

In the Sudanese capital, the Khartoum locality commissioner ordered the closure of the central fish market from Saturday April 4 “until the health status of the country has been cleared”.

Self-isolation

On Thursday, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Omar Gamareldin completed his second day of voluntary isolation at home, after having been in the same space with a coronavirus patient.

Informed sources said that Gamareldin is in good condition, but that he decided to take the measure as a hedge, though he did not come near the infected person.

Last week, the Minister of Energy and Mining, Adil Ibrahim, announced he isolated himself after he met with the fourth case of the coronavirus infection in the country.

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