South Sudan reports no confirmed Ebola cases after Aweil alert tests negative

The National Public Health Institute says South Sudan has no confirmed cases of Ebola after samples from a suspected case in Aweil, Northern Bahr el Gazal tested negative.

Dr Ader Macar Aciek, the institute’s Acting Executive Director, said the suspected case was reported at Malual-Kon Primary Health Care Centre in Aweil, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show, Dr Ader said samples were collected and transported to Juba for laboratory testing, which ruled out Ebola.

“Let me assure the public that, as of now, South Sudan has not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola,” he said.

He said information about the suspected case had been taken out of context and circulated as rumours.

“The case had been investigated, samples were collected and taken to Juba for testing, and the results came back negative,” Dr Ader said.

He urged the public to verify health information through official Ministry of Health communication channels, its partners and trusted media organisations.

Dr Ader also encouraged people to report suspected Ebola cases through the toll-free hotline 6666.

He urged the public to report deaths from unknown causes to health authorities and emergency response teams in their respective areas.

Ebola is a serious infectious disease transmitted through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person, including someone who has died from the disease.

Early symptoms include sudden fever, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Other symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and skin rash. Severe cases can involve internal or external bleeding.

Symptoms usually appear between two and 21 days after exposure to the virus.

Dr Ader said there were no confirmed cases in South Sudan, while Ebola had been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.