South Sudan health experts warn of COVID-19 second wave amid relaxation in measures

In South Sudan, doctors are now warning of the second wave of COVID-19 infection if proper preventive measures are not put in place. As of now, the African country has recorded over 2,833 cases as per the John Hopkins University tally. While a total of 55 people have died in the hospital, 2,655 patients have recovered.

Although cases saw a downward trend in recent weeks, South Sudan Doctors Union (SSDU) is reported to have warned that the country is at high risk of experiencing a second wave with even more mortalities.

"We observed that the majority of citizens and officials appear to have given up on wearing face masks and regular hand sanitisation," the doctors said in a statement adding that "most public institutions, shopping, and medical centres are no longer providing handwashing facilities or sanitizers at entrances or within the buildings."

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'People have given up on wearing masks'

Sharing concern about public non-compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures, the doctors said the recklessness posed a real threat. They warned against social distancing not being observed at most meetings, weddings, funerals, and other social/public gatherings. "Such level of noncompliance during the ongoing global outbreak places vulnerable populations at risk and poses a real threat to the national health and safety of our country," the statement added.

Meanwhile, the country is still burdened with the wounds of civil war. Earlier this month, a new United Nations report noted that South Sudan has made no concrete steps toward national healing more than two years after the end of a civil war. The war killed nearly 400,000 people and sent more than 2 million people fleeing out of the African nation.

(WIth ANI Inputs; Image - AP)

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