Sudan declared on Monday a state of health emergency and closed all airports, ports and land crossings over fears about the spread of coronavirus.
Sovereign Council spokesman Mohamed Al-Fekki Suleiman told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Security and Defense Council, chaired by President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan, declared the state of health emergency to confront any possible virus infections.
“The Council also ordered the closure of all borders and land crossings to passengers entering or leaving the country,” he said.
Fekki explained that the council closed all airports and ports except for humanitarian, commercial and technical support shipments that would be excluded from the restrictions.
“A higher committee was formed to adopt all the measures that prevent the disease from entering the country and to mobilize all the health, security and logistical capabilities that help it perform its duties,” he said.
Fekki stressed that the committee has adopted all necessary measures to receive citizens stranded in the land crossings and to prepare places for them to spend the quarantine period.
He said that the committee affirmed that these measures are precautionary and aimed to prevent infection and the spread of the virus.
“The committee calls on all citizens to cooperate with health and security teams and all employees and not to hinder their official duties to contain any cases of the disease and to block it in order to preserve the good health situation in the country,” the spokesman said.
“The committee will be in a permanent session and will meet every three hours. It will receive three reports every day on the health situation in the country,” Fekki said.
Sudanese authorities have processed hundreds of coronavirus tests on Sudanese coming from Egypt.
Acting Director General of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Northern State, Sa’abir Fathi confirmed no coronavirus cases were detected among people stranded at the crossings in the Northern State.
In a statement to SUNA, he denied reports that stranded people had entered the country without virus testing.
Last Friday, the Health Ministry reported the first coronavirus patient, who died later on the same day.
