File: Businesses at the Customs market operate largely without observing anti-coronavirus measures

An official of the Juba City Council says law enforcement agencies have been deployed at Customs market to enforce coronavirus preventive measures.

This is after the Coronavirus Audit Committee declared Juba’s main market as a high-risk and superspreader area for the deadly virus.

According to officials, the Customs market is overcrowded, unregulated and both business owners and customers are interacting without face masks or observing social distance.

They also observed that the entrance to the market does not have handwashing facilities or equipment for measuring temperature.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Juba City Council says security officers will be enforcing the Ministry of Health’s coronavirus prevention guidelines at the Custom market and other public places.

“There are law enforcement officers who have been deployed by the government to implement these guidelines, but people are not complying,” Martin Simon Wani told Eye Radio on Friday.

“Others are denying the presence of the virus, but the government will not give up. We will continue enforcing the law be it at the National, state, or local government level until people understand that coronavirus exists.”

Simon Wani advised the public to stay away from crowded places, put on face masks, wash hands and sanitize all the time.

“Let people respect and comply with the Ministry of Health’s Coronavirus preventive guidelines. Observe it in your homes, in the offices and even in public places,” he added.

“This is the only way out –otherwise, there is no miracle. People should obey the laws.”

South Sudan’s cumulative coronavirus cases are nearing 10,000.

You can report any suspected case in your area through the free telephone number: 6-6-6-6.