South Sudan on Sunday announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the East African Community (EAC) to 300. The development makes South Sudan the last EAC member state to confirm the pandemic. The patient, according to the country’s High Level Task-force on Coronavirus (Covid-19), is a 29-year old female who arrived in the country from Netherlands via Addis Ababa on February 28. “She has no history of underlying or pre-existing illness. She is currently in isolation and is in good health” reads part of the public statement issued by Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, Deputy Chairman of the High Level Task-force on Coronavirus (Covid-19). “The Ministry of Health is leading a full outbreak investigation with the World Health Organisation and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention including identifying and following up all the possible contacts and next steps.” The Government of the Republic of South Sudan also called the public to remain calm and prevent unnecessary panic. “The High Level Task-force has put in place relevant public health measures over the past two weeks. Social distancing is the only way we can minimize the risk of contracting and transmitting the disease” Rwanda has so far recorded 102 cases, with the first batch of fully recovered patients expected to be discharged Sunday 5th. Globally, more than 1,200,000 cases have been confirmed, while more than 65700 patients have lost their lives in 182 countries, statistics from John Hopkins University shows.
