COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan | |
---|---|
Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | South Sudan |
Arrival date | 5 April 2020 (3 years, 9 months, 1 week and 3 days) |
Confirmed cases | 18,819[1] (updated 15 January 2024) |
Deaths | 147[1] (updated 15 January 2024) |
The COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached South Sudan on 5 April 2020. The first four confirmed cases were all UN workers.[2]
Timeline
Prevention efforts
On 14 March, South Sudan suspended flights to countries affected by coronavirus.[4] On 20 March, classes in all schools and universities were suspended until 19 April, and Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi ordered the suspension of sporting, social, political, and religious gatherings for 6 weeks.[5] This was followed on 25 March by a nighttime curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.[6][7] On 27 March, around 500 people in quarantine from Sudan escaped in Renk, leading to northern Upper Nile State being placed under lockdown for 14 days.[8] From 25 March, after the coronavirus reached Mali, to 5 April 2020, South Sudan was the largest country by area without any confirmed cases of COVID-19.
South Sudan has a population of 14 million people but only 4 ventilators.[6]
April to June 2020
- On 5 April, the first case of COVID-19 in the country was confirmed in a 29-year-old patient, a United Nations worker who arrived on 28 February from the Netherlands[6] via Ethiopia.[9] South Sudan thus became the 51st African country (out of 54) to confirm a case.[6] The patient was quarantined at a UN facility and contact tracing efforts were undertaken.
- The second case of COVID-19 was confirmed on 7 April; the patient was another female United Nations worker, aged 53, who arrived from Nairobi on 23 March and self-quarantined.[10] The third case on 9 April was also a female United Nations worker who had been in contact with the first patient.[11]
- On 9 April, the Ministry of General Education announced it was preparing a distance learning program for primary and secondary school students via radio and television.[12] On 13 April, South Sudan suspended flights and public transportation between the states and between Juba and the states.[13]
- Unlike the first cases, the fifth and sixth cases on 23 and 25 April were confirmed to be South Sudanese nationals.[14]
- After 28 people tested positive on 28 April, the curfew was extended to be from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., all restaurants were only allowed to be takeout, and all passenger boda bodas were banned.[15]
- A total of 35 patients tested positive in April. All 35 were active cases at the end of the month.[16]
- Although cases were still increasing, South Sudan began the process of reopening on 7 May. The curfew was decreased to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., boda bodas were allowed to have one passenger and rickshaws two passengers, if both the driver and the passengers wore face masks, and shops were allowed to reopen with a maximum of five occupants at a time.[17] On 12 May, airports were reopened for local, regional, and international flights.[18]
- On 14 May, South Sudan reported its first death from COVID-19.[19]
- On 18 May, First Vice President Riek Machar announced he and his wife, Angelina Teny, had tested positive for the virus.[20] On 19 May 2020, Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth and all members of the nation's 15-member coronavirus task force tested positive for COVID-19.[21] Another Vice President, Hussein Abdelbagi, the head of the COVID-19 Task Force, tested positive on May 27.[22] Vice President James Wani Igga announced he had tested positive on May 30.[23]
- There were 959 new cases in May, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 994. Ten persons died in May while six patients recovered, leaving 978 active cases at the end of the month.[24]
- In June there were 1013 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2007. The death toll rose by 28 to 38. The number of recovered patients increased to 279, leaving 1690 active cases at the end of the month.[25]
July to December 2020
- Towards the middle of July, business owners in Aweil reported that the pandemic had caused food prices to rise and that the number of customers in restaurants had decreased.[26] On July 24, officials in Eastern Equatoria State reported an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies during the lockdown, which could lead to more school dropouts.[27]
- The government reopened schools in September after six months of closure.[28]
- There were 345 new cases in July,[29] 167 in August,[30] 185 in September,[31] 222 in October,[32] 183 in November,[33] and 449 in December.[34] The total number of cases stood at 2352 in July,[29] 2519 in August,[30] 2704 in September,[31] 2926 in October,[32] 3109 in November,[33] and 3558 in December.[34]
- The number of recovered patients stood at 1205 in July,[29] 1438 in September,[31] and 3131 in December,[34] leaving 1101 active cases at the end of July,[29] 1190 at the end of August,[30] 1217 at the end of September,[31] 1557 at the end of October,[32] 94 at the end of November,[33] and 364 at the end of December.[34]
- The death toll rose to 46 in July,[29] 47 in August,[30] 49 in September,[31] 59 in October,[32] 61 in November,[33] and 63 in December.[34]
January to December 2021
- Vaccination started on 6 April, initially with 132,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine provided through the COVAX pillar.[35] After a slow roll-out, South Sudan decided to return 72,000 doses to COVAX and aim to administer the remaining 60,000 doses before their expiry date.
- Health ministry officials announced on 19 April that 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine donated by the African Union and MTN Group would be destroyed because of their short expiry date.[36]
- There were 11,684 confirmed cases in 2021, bringing the total number of cases to 15,242. 9,803 patients recovered in 2021 while 72 persons died, bringing the total death toll to 135. At the end of 2021 there were 2,173 active cases.[37]
- Modeling carried out by the WHO’s Regional Office for Africa suggests that due to under-reporting, the true cumulative number of infections by the end of 2021 was around 4.9 million while the true number of COVID-19 deaths was around 1750.[38]
January to December 2022
- There were 3,151 confirmed cases in 2022, bringing the total number of cases to 18,393. 5,181 patients recovered in 2022 while 3 persons died, bringing the total death toll to 138. At the end of 2022 there were 140 active cases.[39]
January to December 2023
- There were 426 confirmed cases in 2023, bringing the total number of cases to 18,819. Nine persons died, bringing the total death toll to 147. At the end of 2023 there were 503 active cases.
Data
Cumulative number of confirmed cases, recoveries and deaths
Confirmed new cases per day
Confirmed deaths per day
Number of tests per day
Number of confirmed cases by age
Number of cases by sex
See also
References
- 1 2 Ritchie, Hannah; Mathieu, Edouard; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Beltekian, Diana; Dattani, Saloni; Roser, Max (2020–2022). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ↑ "Briefing: What's behind South Sudan's COVID-19 inspired UN-backlash". The New Humanitarian. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan Coronavirus - Worldometer". www.worldometers.info. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ↑ "South Sudan halts flights to countries affected by coronavirus". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan closes schools, universities amid coronavirus fears". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 Mayra Ajack, South Sudan 51st of 54 African nations to report virus case, Associated Press (5 April 2020).
- ↑ "South Sudan imposes nighttime curfew over coronavirus". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ↑ "Northern Upper Nile under lockdown after citizens escaped from quarantine". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan confirms first case of coronavirus". Reuters. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan confirms second case of coronavirus". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan records third case of COVID-19". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ↑ "Education ministry to launch distance learning for students". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan suspends interstate travels over COVID-19". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan records its sixth coronavirus case". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ↑ "COVID-19: South Sudan reviews curfew as cases rise to 34". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 102" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 May 2020. p. 6. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan loosens restrictions even as coronavirus cases increase". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan reopens airports amid rise in COVID-19 cases". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan records first COVID-19 death as cases rise". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ↑ "Dr. Riek Machar and wife test positive for COVID-19". Eye Radio. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan Officials, COVID Task Force Test Positive for Virus". VOA. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ↑ "South Sudan confirms 18 new COVID-19 cases". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ↑ "VP Igga tests positive for COVID-19". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 133" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 June 2020. p. 6. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 163" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 July 2020. p. 6. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ↑ "COVID-19 affects women businesses in Aweil". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ↑ "Covid-19: Eastern Equatoria says schoolgirl pregnancies increasing due to lockdown". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- ↑ "Save The Children commends govt's decision to reopen schools". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report 194" (PDF). World Health Organization. 1 August 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 "Outbreak brief 33: COVID-19 pandemic – 1 September 2020". Africa CDC. 16 September 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "COVID-19 situation update for the WHO Africa region. External situation report 31" (PDF). World Health Organization. 30 September 2020. p. 4. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 "COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update". World Health Organization. 3 November 2020. p. 14. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 "Overall COVID-19 cases status as of 29-11-2020" (PDF). Ministry of Health. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Diallo, Oumy (1 January 2021). "Coronavirus en Afrique : quels sont les pays impactés ?" (in French). TV5MONDE. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ↑ "COVID-19 vaccination kicks-off in South Sudan". World Health Organization. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ↑ Wudu, Waakhe Simon (19 April 2021). "South Sudan stops using doses of AstraZeneca vaccine over expiration fears". VOA. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ↑ "Overall COVID-19 cases status as of 29-12-2021" (PDF). Ministry of Health. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ↑ Cabore, Joseph Waogodo; Karamagi, Humphrey Cyprian; Kipruto, Hillary Kipchumba; Mungatu, Joseph Kyalo; Asamani, James Avoka; Droti, Benson; Titi-ofei, Regina; Seydi, Aminata Binetou Wahebine; Kidane, Solyana Ngusbrhan; Balde, Thierno; Gueye, Abdou Salam; Makubalo, Lindiwe; Moeti, Matshidiso R (1 June 2022). "COVID-19 in the 47 countries of the WHO African region: a modelling analysis of past trends and future patterns". The Lancet Global Health. 10 (8): e1099–e1114. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00233-9. PMC 9159735. PMID 35659911. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ↑ "Weekly bulletin on outbreaks and other emergencies" (PDF). World Health Organization. 15 January 2023. p. 18. Retrieved 23 January 2023.