The government of Japan has denied reports that it donated virus prevention cards to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and cabinet ministers.

Ateny Wek Ateny, the presidential press secretary, was quoted by Eye Radio on Sunday as saying the unproven virus prevention cards were donated to President Kiir by the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.

However, the Embassy of Japan in South Sudan strongly denied the announcement made concerning the donation of virus prevention cards from the Prime Minister Abe to President Kiir and ministers.

 “There is no fact that the Government of Japan has donated such cards to the leadership of the Government of South Sudan and we regret that the Office of the President made public announcement of such wrong information,” the embassy said in a statement on Monday.

Online sellers have recently claimed the unproven cards named “Virus Shut Out” protect wearers from the coronavirus. 

The cards are advertised as being able to purify the air around the wearers within a radius of between one and two metres and can be used for two months.