A number of Sudan’s ministers, politicians, artists, journalists, and community figures have been infected with the coronavirus, at a time the Ministry of Health recorded 59 new cases in one day, bringing the total to 592.
The ministry indicated that 41 patients had died, while six other patients recovered bringing the total recoveries to 52, in 14 of Sudan’s 18 states that registered coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation Hashim Mohammed Ibn Auf announced he has been infected with COVID-19, making him the first Sudanese official to have contracted the virus.
The Minister has been quarantined since last week when he tested positive for COVID-19 after coming in contact with a relative who was infected with the virus.
Also, Minister of Energy and Mining, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, are in self-isolation after some of their close contacts had been infected with the virus.
The famous Sudanese artist and musician Abu Araki al-Bakhit tested positive for coronavirus, after he came in contact with his daughter, Samahir, who works in the medical field. Samahir is recovering now after spending two weeks in self-isolation.
The whole family has also been tested and is currently in isolation.
Several journalists, including Al-Arabiya’s correspondent in Khartoum Mohammad Othman, announced they had contracted coronavirus and are now home-quarantined.
Despite the low number of coronavirus cases in Sudan, authorities fear the collapse of the fragile health care system in the event of a spike in cases.
The Minister of Information stressed that the health system established during the former regime could fail if the cases increased, urging citizens to adhere to the health measures announced by the government.
Earlier, Health Minister Akram Ali al-Tom strongly warned citizens that non-compliance with the measures will increase the coronavirus cases.
“During this pandemic, your health is in your hands. This disease has no treatment other than Panadol, and if the patient suffocated, he will be given oxygen, and if he gets worse, in short, he will die,” the minister said during a press conference.
