16 more cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in South Sudan on Thursday, bringing the total number to 90, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
Dr. Richard Lako, a director general in the Ministry of Health, told reporters that the new cases are from 162 samples which were tested by the ministry.
Lako, who is also a member of the high-level taskforce on COVID-19, said the 16 cases are South Sudanese citizens who have been granted permission to travel to states from Juba, pointing out that some of them are contacts of the previously confirmed cases.
"The public health laboratory released 162 samples results, out of which 16 cases tested positive, 22 are to be rerun and 124 tested negative," Lako explained.
Lako disclosed that the ministry is conducting tracing of individuals who had come into contacts with the coronavirus patients and appealed to all the contacts to cooperate with health authorities.
The presidency on Thursday decided to loosen restrictions due to coronavirus, despite a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.