S. Sudan: Worrisome Trend as more dead bodies test positive for COVID-19

By Deng Machol

Juba - The trend is very worrisome as more dead bodies test positive for Covid 19 pandemic and the number of cases continue to surge in East African's youngest nation.

South Sudan, gained her independence from Sudan in July 2011 and still has a fragile health system and centers to contain the spread of COVID 19 pandemic. It is only Juba's capital that have some machines for testing the virus.

The Ministry of Health said nine (9) dead bodies tested positive for coronavirus last week after a posthumous examination was carried out at the military mortuary in Juba's capital.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center said the public health laboratory is confirming more coronavirus death posthumously, blamed to negligence by the public to take their loved one for Covid 19 test while feeling unwell.

Dr. Angelo Goup stated that they are taking swabs and checking every horrible suspicious death.

"We did tests at the mortuary and 9 tested positive posthumously." It’s important for everyone to know if anyone is sick in your family. Take them to the hospital, don’t stay with a sick person at home," said Dr. Goup, during the weekly Covid - 19 press briefing on Sunday.

As of Monday, South Sudan had reported 134 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 8,144.

The number of fatalities due to the virus remains at 95 as one new death registered on Monday. So far, 4,217 Cases have recovered.

The Ministry of Health said it has conducted 111,214 tests since the virus was first confirmed in April, last year in South Sudan.

The country's health ministry cautioned the public to take the pandemic seriously and follow the necessary precautions, adhering to social distancing, wear facemask and other anti-coronavirus measures as the number of cases continues to surge globally.

The Health Center, however appealed to the public to take those feeling unwell to the hospital to ascertain their Covid19 status but activists said the hospitals [doing testing for the virus] are being privatized by government with high charges, in which a vulnerable people cannot afford.

The activists called on the government to carry-out Covid 19 testing free of charge so that everyone can know her/his COVID 19 status and that can help in containing the spread of the virus in the restive country, blighted by six years of conflict.