South Sudan closes schools, suspends religious events over COVID-19
March 21, 2020 (JUBA) – South Sudan decided to close schools and universities and suspend religious and sportive events as preventive measures after the spread of coronavirus in neighbouring countries.
South Sudan and Uganda remain the only countries with no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In a decision issued on Friday, South Sudan Vice President for Service Cluster Hussein Abdelbagi Akol has decided to close all the schools, teachers training institutes and the universities across the country.
He further suspended “all planned sporting events, religious events. socio-cultural events such as weddings, funeral rites, and political events”.
The closure is effective as of Friday 20 March for 30 days for educational institutions, and six weeks for the sporting, religious, social and political events.
Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, three countries that have close relations with South Sudan have confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Recently, the South Sudanese government as a protection measure restricted the entry of new peacekeepers from several Asian countries affected by confirmed cases of COVID-19.
As a result, UNMISS staff currently on leave in affected countries have been directed not to return to South Sudan except for that personnel deemed essential to UN operations. In these cases, staff will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, according to the Mission.
“The UN in South Sudan has also decided to suspend the travel of staff on Rest and Recuperation leave until 15 April when the situation will be reviewed,” said UNMISS in a statement released on 18 March.
(ST)