VP Wani Igga tests positive as increase in COVID-19 cases alarms

Photo: South Sudan vice-president James Wani Igga

JUBA – South Sudan’s Vice President James Wani Igga, entire office staff and family members have tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the third vice-president and the fifth member of the government to catch the respiratory disease.

“My samples were taken for testing a few days ago and today it has been found positive for corona,” Igga said.

“I encourage all South Sudanese to really go for testing. This is very important so that we stop the spread of this pandemic to more people,” further said Wani Igga.

Beside Wani Igga, South Sudan’s First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar, his wife and Defence Minister Angelina Teny were the first to be tested positive, followed by Information Minister Michael Makuei and recently Vice-President Hussein Abdelbagi tested positive.

Health Minister Elizabeth Achuei on Saturday disclosed after meeting President Salva Kiir she had requested him to impose a lockdown in the country. She added the measure is needed to contain the coronavirus spread in the country.

South Sudan’s Inspector General of Police Gen Majak Akech Malok also met with President Kiir on Saturday. After the meeting, he urged South Sudanese to stay home and avoid crowded are.

“If the citizens don’t observe and abide by the preventive measures then the police will take the responsibility to ensure that people respect the orders of preventive measures,” he warned.

VP Hussein Abdelbaggi tests positive for coronavirus

Before James Wani Igga, Vice-president Hussein Abdelbaggi who represents the South Sudan Opposition Alliance and announced last week that he had tested positive for the deadly virus.

“It is true the vice-president has been found with coronavirus,” a government official told Sudans Post from the capital Juba.

“There are also a number of government officials inside the high-level taskforce who have tested positive for the coronavirus,” the official added.

Sharp increase in case

The infection of James Wani Igga comes as cases sees sharp increase. The ministry of health said a few days ago that coronavirus cases in South Sudan had hiked by 188 to become 994.