Showing posts with label Coronavirus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coronavirus. Show all posts

Monday, March 16, 2020

Sudan closes schools & unis over coronavirus fears - Quarantines nationals returning from Egypt in camps

Photo: Coronavirus disease (Covid 19)- Photo courtesy of US Department of State

Sudan to quarantine its nationals returning from Egypt in camps
Report from Egypt Today.com
By Staff
Dated Sunday 15 March 2020

CAIRO - 15 March 2020: The Sudanese Cabinet announced that it would bring back all Sudanese nationals stranded in border crossings with Egypt. 

The Cabinet added that all evacuated nationals will be isolated in a temporary shelter camp after bringing them back through Arqin crossing with Egypt. 

Two days ago, the Sudanese government closed land crossings with Egypt and suspended entry visas for foreigners from a number of countries, namely South Korea, China, Italy, Iran, Spain, Japan and Egypt. 

The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced Saturday the death of the only reported case. He was a 50-year-old Sudanese citizen who had visited the United Arab Emirates. 

Coronavirus has forced many countries to suspend their flights around the globe after the infected cases reached 157,483 people and 5,845 deaths were reported to date. On March 10, 2020, the virus was announced a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. 

“WHO is deeply concerned by the alarming levels of the coronavirus spread, severity & inaction, & expects to see the number of cases, deaths & affected countries climb even higher. Therefore, we made the assessment that COVID19 can be characterized as a pandemic,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusin in a press conference. 

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RELATED REPORTS

Sudan closes schools for one month to prevent coronavirus spread
Report from Global Times.cn
By Xinhua 
Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 14:09:03
Photo: Sudanese people are seen wearing face masks in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

Sudan's Council of Ministers on Saturday decided to close universities and schools for one month and ban public gatherings to prevent coronavirus spread, according to a council statement. 

The council also decided to close the kindergartens and religious schools for one month, said Faisal Mohamed Saleh, Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, was quoted as saying in the statement. 
Photo: Sudanese people are seen wearing face masks in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

It has also been decided to postpone the basic school certificate examinations in all states, the statement added. 

Meanwhile, the council decided to evacuate the Sudanese citizens trapped at the border crossings with Egypt through the Arqin crossing, establish a temporary accommodation camp and conduct medical examination there. 

On Friday, the Sudanese health ministry announced the first death from coronavirus in the country. 
Photo: A Sudanese man is seen wearing a face mask in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

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Sudan closes schools and universities over coronavirus fears
Report from english.alarabiya.net
By Reuters, Khartoum
Dated Sunday, 15 March 2020
Last Update: Sunday, 15 March 2020 KSA 01:27 - GMT 22:27

Sudan has ordered the closure of schools and universities for one month from Saturday to stop the spread of coronavirus, a statement from the prime minister’s office said.

The statement said all public gatherings, such as weddings and social events, will also be banned.

On Friday, Sudan announced its first case of the novel coronavirus following the death of a 50-year-old man the night before.

The Sudanese citizen had recently been in the UAE, the health ministry said in a statement, without providing further details.

For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.

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Coronavirus measures: Sudan’s Council of Ministers issues directions
Report from and by Radio Dabanga.org
Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 

(KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s mini Council of Ministers has issued a set of directions following an emergency meeting held in Khartoum yesterday to discuss the recommendations of the Supreme Coordination Committee for combating the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic. Their directions include enforced quarantine of those who have been in contact with Covid-19, as well as the closure of all schools, universities, and religious institutes for a month.

The ministers have directed Sudan’s security authorities to support the Ministry of Health to implement quarantine procedures in the isolation and quartering centres to isolate and examine “those who have been in contact with the virus and who refuse to submit to quarantine procedures”.

Military hospitals throughout the country have been directed to serve as centres for shelter and to provide treatment services.

All kindergartens, schools, Koran schools (khalawi), and religious institutes at all levels are to be closed for a month. All festivals, camps, ad remedial classes are cancelled.

The ministers direct that the basic exams in those states where the exams have not yet been held should be postponed until “a date to be determined later”.

An exception is the Sudanese Certificate (secondary school) exam, which the ministers say will occur on time “unless another decision is issued”.

All universities, colleges, as well as government, private, and foreign higher institutes will also be closed for a month.

Additional health measures

The ministers direct that additional health measures and controls should be implemented in prisons and reformatory centres, while ministries, government, and private companies should “take measures to reduce crowds in the workplace”.

Public gatherings such as weddings, condolences, and other public events are suspended, while the ministers ordered “tightening control over public markets, the control over prices of food supplies, and medical and non-medical supplies”.

Sudanese nationals stranded at Egyptian border crossings – which have been on lockdown since Thursday – will be evacuated through the Argeen crossing, the establishment of a temporary shelter camp, and conduction of medical examination by an integrated medical team.

PM Hamdok

On Friday, Sudan’s Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok called on the Sudanese public to be vigilant when dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic which spread rapidly, across the world.

In a statement via social media, Hamdok said: “We must be careful because the epidemic is spreading rapidly. We urge all citizens to follow the health directives announced by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to protect ourselves and our families.”

The PM urged people to wash their hands regularly and to avoid gatherings, “which will be useful during this critical stage”.

He underlined that all the concerned authorities in Sudan are ready to implement the comprehensive plan to confront the coronavirus outbreak.

Border lockdown

As reported by Radio Dabanga on Friday, Sudan has suspended issuing visas to citizens of countries marked as major Covid-19 hotspots by the World Health Organization (WHO), and advised Sudanese against travelling to those countries unless in the case of force majeure. Flights to those countries have been suspended and the four crossing points between Sudan and Egypt will be closed ‘until further notice’.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that on Thursday, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Omar Manis issued a decision suspending issuing visas to citizens of Korea, China, Italy, Iran, France, Spain, Japan, and Egypt – countries listed by the WHO as being majorly affected.

Also on Thursday, the Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority shut-down all direct flights from Egypt to El Fasher, Nyala, and El Geneina in Darfur by the Unamid peacekeeping mission.

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Sudan shuts schools and universities over coronavirus
Report from and by Sudan Tribune.com
Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 - Excerpt:
(KHARTOUM) - Sudan on Saturday has ordered the closure of schools and universities for a month and restricted mass gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. 
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Japan confirms first case of person re-infected with coronavirus
Report from and by The Hill.com
Dated 27 February 2020Excerpts:
Officials in Osaka say a tour bus guide tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time. 
There have been a number of cases of reinfection in China.  
As much remains unknown about the virus, cases of reinfection have health experts worried that the illness could remain dormant after an apparent recovery. 
“Once you have the infection, it could remain dormant with minimal symptoms,” Philip Tierno Jr., professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University, told Reuters
“And then you can get an exacerbation if it finds its way into the lungs,” he said.  
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Can you get coronavirus twice?
Report from and by The Hill.com
Dated Friday 13 March 2020Excerpt:
“If you get an infection, your immune system is revved up against that virus,” Keiji Fukuda, director of Hong Kong University’s School of Public Health, told the Los Angeles Times. “To get reinfected again when you’re in that situation would be quite unusual unless your immune system was not functioning right.” 

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Coronavirus Covid-19: First case reported in Sudan

On Thursday March 12 Sudan stopped issuing visas and flights to eight countries - including Italy and neighbouring Egypt - over fears of the coronavirus outbreak. Bus trips to Egypt have also been suspended.
Sudan's health ministry reports death of man who returned from UAE earlier this month. Read more:

Coronavirus: First case reported in Sudan
Report from and by Middle East Eye and agencies
Dated Friday 13 March 2020 

Sudan reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Friday, as the pandemic continued to spread through the African continent, which until recently had been relatively unscathed.

In a statement, the health ministry said that a man in his 50s had died in the capital Khartoum after being diagnosed with the virus following a visit to the United Arab Emirates in the first week of March.

On Thursday, Sudan stopped issuing visas and flights to eight countries - including Italy and neighbouring Egypt - over fears of the coronavirus outbreak.

Bus trips to Egypt have also been suspended.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Guinea also confirmed their first cases of the new coronavirus on Friday, giving the disease a foothold in 18 countries in Africa.

Africa had so far largely been spared the rapid spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 127,000 and killed 4,700 worldwide.

Most of Africa's reported cases were foreigners or people who had travelled abroad. Rapid testing and quarantines have been put in place to limit transmission.

But concerns are growing about the continent's ability to handle the disease.

Cases have been reported in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Most of these countries' totals are still in single figures.

S. Sudan: Countess of Wessex becomes first member of the British Royal Family to visit South Sudan

Report from Royal Central.co.uk
By Jess Ilse 06 March 2020
The Countess of Wessex becomes first member of the Royal Family to visit South Sudan
Photo: The Countess of Wessex is visiting South Sudan this week, focusing on issues related to girls and women’s rights, to coincide with International Women’s Day. 

“The Countess’s visit, during International Women’s Week, will promote the rights of women and girls, through education, inclusivity at leadership level and by tackling sexual and gender-based violence,” according to Buckingham Palace. 

“During her visit, Her Royal Highness will meet survivors of gender-based violence to learn about the impact of the conflict and hear about the ongoing challenges faced by displaced women and girls. The Countess will also join a conversation with men who are engaged in a programme to bring greater gender equality into their homes and communities by supporting each other and challenging the societal issue.” 

The UK Embassy in Juba, South Sudan, has been posting about Sophie’s visit on Twitter, billing it as a way to “to champion women’s role in peacebuilding, to see how progress is being made to tackle sexual and gender-based violence and to promote girls’ education.” 

Among her engagements so far, Sophie has met with church leaders at the South Sudan Council of Churches to hear about how they engage women and work towards “local peacebuilding efforts” that include promoting peace and ending violence against women and girls. The UK Embassy tweeted, “Religious leaders must continue to play an important role in promoting a peaceful future.” 

She has also visited a project set up by the International Medical Corps, with UK aid from the Department for International Development, called the Women and Girls’ Friendly Space, in Malakal. The Space works to help women and girls who have been displaced by conflict. 

The International Medical Corps tweeted about her visit, writing that they appreciated Sophie’s “efforts to amplify the voices of the women and girls in Malakal, South Sudan, who are rebuilding after years of civil war.” 

Afterwards, Sophie met men taking the Engaging Men Through Accountable Practices programme, which educates them about gender equality and gives them tools to help women and girls in their families and communities.

Sophie also visited the Malakal Engineering Group, a part of the 75 Engineer Regiment based in South Sudan, which is working to help women and girls through the teaching of self-defence and infrastructure repair, including upgrading a road to ensure that women don’t have far to walk to collect food. 

On Thursday, Sophie visited the Juba Diocesan Model Secondary School, a school that is supported by Girls’ Education South Sudan and the Department for International Development and UK aid. The school empowers girls through education and the organisation posted on Facebook that they were “honoured to have HRH The Countess of Wessex visit a GESS-supported school this morning.”

Sophie met with teachers and students to hear more about the learning environment. So far, Girls’ Education South Sudan has helped keep over a quarter of a million girls in school. 

Sophie also met with Her Excellency Rebecca Nyandeng Garang, the first female Vice President of the country, to talk about equality and how women can be active participants in public life

Sophie is the first member of the Royal Family to visit South Sudan, which is the world’s newest recognised sovereign state, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Upon arrival to the country earlier this week, she was screened at the airport for coronavirus symptoms.

ABOUT AUTHOR Jess Ilse
Jess is a communications professional and freelance writer who lives in Halifax and has a passion for all things royal, particularly the British Royal Family.