Public urged to observe COVID-19 precautions amid second wave of infections in Sudan

Omdurman Islamic University has imposed a fine of SDG300* for anyone who fails to wear a face mask within the university. Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health issued a decision requiring adherence to the precautionary measures and health guidelines.

The guidelines include social distancing, keeping a safe distance (1.5 metres at least) in offices, and the commitment to wearing a face mask in the ministry.

The decision stipulates not to allow entry to the ministry without permission, in addition to adhering to standards to ensure safety and public health, including hand hygiene, avoiding contact with surfaces exposed to pollution, and reducing gatherings as much as possible.

On Wednesday, the Ministry announced that the Sudanese Minister of Health, Osama Abdelrahim, is infected with COVID-19. The Director of the General Administration of Primary Health Care and the Director of the General Department of Curative Medicine at the Ministry are also infected.

In El Gezira, Governor Abdallah Idris opened a COVID-19 isolation centre yesterday. The centre was established in partnership between the state Ministry of Health and the World Child Care Organization.

The centre contains 20 beds equipped for intermediate and regular care, an oxygen centre, in addition to a medical incinerator and sterilisation aids.

On Wednesday, the High Committee for Health Emergencies spoke about the beginning of the second wave, explaining that the infections recorded since the beginning of November amount to 707 cases, which exceeds the number of cases recorded at the beginning of the first wave.

The committee urged "the youth of the revolution" to fully cooperate with the health authorities to implement health guidelines and requirements at the neighbourhood level and organize gatherings at gas stations, ovens, points of sale, etc.

* USD 1 = SDG 55 at the time of publishing this article. As effective foreign exchange rates can vary widely in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the daily middle US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS). On the Khartoum parallel market, the greenback sold for SDG 268 in the beginning of this month.

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