By Deng Machol
JUBA, South Sudan – South Sudan has confirmed that it remains free of Ebola after seven suspected cases tested negative, with health authorities emphasizing that heightened surveillance and preparedness measures are purely precautionary despite growing concerns over outbreaks in neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Health on Friday reassured the public that no confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases have been detected anywhere in the country.
“The Ministry of Health wishes to reassure the public that South Sudan has not recorded any confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease,” Undersecretary Dr. Oromo Francis Seriano said during a press briefing in Juba.
Health officials explained that the recent investigations demonstrate the country’s surveillance system is functioning as intended by detecting and rapidly assessing potential threats before they can spread.
According to Dr. Francis, seven suspected Ebola cases were identified and investigated across the country—four in Juba and one each in Ezo, Yambio, and Nimule. All laboratory tests returned negative results.
Six samples were analyzed at the National Public Health Laboratory in Juba, while one was processed at the mobile laboratory in Nimule.
The announcement comes amid heightened regional vigilance as Ebola outbreaks in neighboring countries continue to raise concerns over possible cross-border transmission through the region’s busy and often porous borders.
Officials noted that South Sudan’s strategic location and close population movements with neighboring states make preparedness critical, even in the absence of confirmed infections.
To reduce the risk of an outbreak, the Ministry of Health has strengthened disease surveillance, border screening, rapid response teams, laboratory capacity, infection prevention and control measures, and public awareness campaigns aimed at helping communities identify and report suspected cases promptly.
“Our current activities are strictly precautionary,” Dr. Francis emphasized.
The ministry is coordinating closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), UN agencies, neighboring governments, and other international partners to reinforce the country’s preparedness and response capacity.
Health authorities also appealed to the international community to avoid imposing travel restrictions on South Sudan, arguing that such measures would unnecessarily disrupt trade, humanitarian operations, and the movement of people despite the country’s Ebola-free status.
WHO Representative Dr. Humphrey Karamagi said the investigation of suspected cases should be viewed as evidence that the country’s surveillance system is working effectively rather than as a cause for public concern.
“At present, we do not have any case of Ebola in South Sudan,” Dr. Karamagi said, adding that identifying and investigating alerts demonstrates an active public health system capable of responding quickly to potential disease threats.
For now, officials say the message remains unequivocal: South Sudan has no confirmed Ebola cases, but authorities will maintain heightened vigilance and preparedness to safeguard the population against any potential outbreak.
