Renowned Kenyan journalist tests positive for COVID-19

Kenyan journalist Jeff Koinange (Photo credit: Supplied)

July 20, 2020 (SSNN) – Kenya’s Citizen TV news anchor and radio host Jeff Koinange has tested positive for coronavirus. The TV anchor is the latest Citizen TV employee to confirm to have contracted the deadly virus. Koinange went on social media to inform Kenyans of his status saying he had no symptoms of the virus and felt very okay. […]

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South Sudan oil production drops amid COVID-19 disruption

South Sudan's Petroleum Minister Awow Daniel Chuang addresses stakeholders during the release of the country's seventh annual petroleum report in the capital Juba, Feb. 20, 2020. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

July 20, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan oil production has dropped to 170,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 185,000 bpd due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official has said. Awow Daniel Chuang, the undersecretary in the ministry of petroleum, disclosed that the drop in production is the result of global economic slowdown due to COVID-19 that has […]

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Egyptian minister for military production dies of COVID-19

Egypt's Minister or Military Production Mohamed El-Assar (Photo credit: Al-Ahram Online)

July 6, 2020 (SSNN) – The Egyptian minister for military production, General Mohamed El-Assar, passed away at 74 on Monday following a lengthy battle with the deadly COVID-19 battle, the Egyptian presidency announced. “Egypt has lost one of its unique military icons… a fighter who gave his life to serve his homeland and a wise man who took part in […]

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UN says several peacekeepers test positive for COVID-19 in South Sudan

David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), briefs the Security Council(UN Photo/Loey Felipe)

July 3, 2020 (SSNN) – The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN mission to South Sudan, David Shearer, has said that 57 UN personnel have tested positive for COVID-19. Shearer said the peacekeepers could have contracted the virus due to what he described as “continuous close interactions with the South Sudanese population.” “Forty-five of […]

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UN appeals for $390 million for S. Sudan COVID-19 response

A team of medical experts transferring COVID-19 patient in unknown African city(Photo credit: unknown)

June 17, 2020 (SSNN) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday launched a funding appeal worth 390 million U.S. dollars to boost response to COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan. Alain Noudehou, the humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan, said the latest funding appeal will help provide assistance to 7.4 million people by the end […]

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Achuei: “I am a doctor, not a politician and the ministry of health need me more than a politician”

South Sudan Minister of Health, Elizabeth Acuei Yol, speaking to SSBC about Corona Virus(Photo credit: SSBC)

June 16, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s minister of health Madam Elizabeth Achuei has fired back at senior SPLM member Daniel Awet Akot and said the ministry of health needs doctors and not politicians. This comes a few days after Daniel Awet Akot, a former deputy speaker of the South Sudan’s parliament and a senior member of the Sudan People’s […]

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Lebanese man contracted by COVID-19 taskforce flees with millions of dollars

June 15, 2020 (SSNN) — A Lebanese man contracted by South Sudan’s COVID-19 taskforce in the fight against the novel coronavirus has fled the country with $3 million, a senior government official has said. The government official who spoke to South Sudan News Now on condition of anonymity said the contractor who he identified as Feraj was given $3 million […]

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South Sudan: Last vice-president recovers from COVID-19

June 13, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan vice-president, James Wani Igga has said this afternoon that he has recovered from the novel coronavirus. This makes him the last – of three – vice-presidents to beat the respiratory sickness which is also known as COVID-19 after Vice President Hussein Abdelbaggi and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny recovered last week. […]

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British envoy to Juba meets South Sudan’s minister of defense

June 12, 2020 (SSNN) – The British ambassador to South Sudan, Christopher Trott, has met the country’s minister of Defense Angelina Teny following her return to office this week after more than two weeks of quarantine. Mrs. Teny went to the quarantine in mid May after she and her husband – who is also the First Vice President – Dr. […]

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South Sudan’s deputy central bank governor dies of COVID-19

June 10, 2020 (SSNN) – The first deputy governor of South Sudan Central Bank (SSCB) Maror Chier Rehan has died of COVID-19 in the Kenyan capital Nairobi after he was airlifted from South Sudan last week, a source in Juba with direct knowledge has said. Rehan reportedly succumbed into the virus after almost two weeks of battle at a private […]

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South Sudan envoy to Brussels dies in Juba

June 9, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s ambassador to Brussels, Belgium, has died in Juba, a family member has said. He died at 64. Ambassador Jwokgwen Severio Yukwan Ayik reportedly died of COVID-19 in Juba where he has been stranded because of COVID-198 lockdown preventing him to return to his work destination. “It is true, ambassador Severio has died today. […]

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Makuei returns to office after COVID-19 battle

June 9, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth has finally returned to office after a battle with COVID-19 ended in his favor, the ministry of information said in a statement this afternoon. “The National Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services, Michael Makuei Lueth resumed his official duty on Tuesday,” it said […]

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Six high profile South Sudan gov’t officials recover from COVID-19

Dr. Riek Machar Teny, South Sudan First Vice President, announcing the first case of Coronavirus at Pyramid Hotel, Juba, on April 5th, 2020(Photo credit: SSNN/supplied)

June 8, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s ministry of health said on Tuesday that six high profile government officials including the country’s first vice president Dr. Riek Machar Teny have recovered from coronavirus. Dr. Makur Koriom, the undersecretary of the minister of health, said in a statement on Sunday that the officials – beside Machar – include the minister of […]

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South Sudan world’s most dangerous place to live during COVID-19 pandemic – report

President Salva Kiir, the head of COVID-19 Task Force and Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the deputy head of COVID-19 Task Force demonstrating the use of a mask to prevent Coronavirus(Photo credit: supplied)

June 8, 2020 (SSNN) – A new study by the Hong kong based firm has found that South Sudan is the most dangerous place to live during the coronavirus pandemic which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year. “Its overall healthcare infrastructure and efficiency, as well as sanitation levels, are markedly lower, and generally has a much lower […]

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VP Hussein Abdelbaggi’s father dies of COVID-19

June 6, 2020 (SSNN) – General Abdelbaggi Ayii Akol, the father of South Sudan vice-president Hussein Abdelbaggi who tested positive for coronavirus last month has reportedly died of COVID-19, the respiratory sickness caused by COVID-19. Vice-president Hussein who is also the head of the National Taskforce on COVID-19 tested positive for the virus on May 27. He reportedly met his […]

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SPLM official criticizes Machar for appointing “incompetent” Achuei as health minister

June 5, 2020 (SSNN) – A senior member of South Sudan’s ruling SPLM party has criticized SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny for appointing an “incompetent” person into the ministry of health blaming him for the ongoing health crisis imposed by the coronavirus. Daniel Awet Akot, former presidential advisor on military affairs and senior member of the SPLM Political Bureau […]

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Machar, Angelina Teny to resume duties next week – spokesman

June 5, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and the minister of defense, Angelina Teny who is also his wife have recovered from the novel coronavirus, Machar’s office said today. James Gatdet Dak, the press secretary in the office of the First Vice President said a second COVID-19 test has returned negative for the […]

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Information minister Makuei says returning to work

June, 4, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan information minister Michael Makuei Lueth has said that he is returning to work following a fourteen-day isolation after testing positive – last month – for COVID-19. Speaking to South Sudan News Now (SSNN) this afternoon, the information minister said doctors were conducting what he said may be the last test before he would […]

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Gov’t suspends issuance of COVID-19 certificates for negative tests

June 4, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s ministry of health has suspended issuing documents certifying that someone has tested negative for COVID-19, the deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The minister of health Elizabeth Acuei Yol said in an order seen by South Sudan News Now (SSNN) that the decision by her institution came about after it discovered […]

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Machar, wife finally recover from COVID-19

South Sudan’s First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny attends the 32nd Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD heads of states in Addis Ababa on June 21, 2018. (Photo credit: YONAS TADESSE/AFP via Getty Images)

June 2, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has finally recovered from COVID-19, senior SPLM-IO officials said today. Machar who is also the chairperson of the main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, said late last month that he and his wife Angelina Teny who is also the minister of defense tested positive for respiratory disease […]

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VP Taban turns down request to become new head of COVID-19 taskforce

June 1, 2020 (SSNN) – Vice-President Taban Deng Gai has reportedly turned down a request by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to replace his counterpart Hussein Abdelbaggi as the new chair of the country’s coronavirus taskforce. Hussein last week tested positive for coronavirus and said he was going for the 14-day quarantine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Speaking to […]

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Opinion: Why the COVID-19 taskforce and the ministry of education owe South Sudanese students an explanation on funds disbursement

By Tom Gatdel Malou June 1, 2020 (SSNN) – Concerning the above subject, South Sudan Students’ Association in Kenya, (SSSAK) and Uganda being the countries with a good number of students schooling on their own and also not benefited from the Covid-19 funds released two months back. The leadership of South Sudanese students in Kenya decries, regrets and blames the […]

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Vice-president Igga, entire family test positive for COVID-19

May 30, 2020 (SSNN) — South Sudan vice-president James Wani Igga and his entire family have tested positive for COVID-19, officials close to him said Saturday. “Yes the vice-president has tested positive for coronavirus. his family members have also been affe ted by the virus,” an aide who refused to be named told South Sudan News Now (SSNN) this evening. […]

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S. Sudan vice-president tests positive for COVID-19

South Sudan Vice President and chairperson of coronavirus taskforce Hussein Abdel Baggi Ayii (Photo credit: SSBC)

May 27, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan vice-president and chairperson of the National Taskforce on coronavirus, Hussein Abdel-Baggi, has tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. A senior government official told South Sudan News Now (SSNN) this evening that Abdelbaggi was among 188 people – all of whom are South Sudanese – who tested positive […]

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South Sudan minister put under ventilator over COVID-19 symptoms

May 26, 2020  (SSNN) – A Senior South Sudan government official has been put under ventilators after developing coronavirus disease symptoms over earlier this week, sources have said from Juba. An aide said Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lomoro was put under ventilators on Sunday after developing COVID-19 symptoms which forced him to decide that he is taken to a government […]

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COVID-19 cases surpass 800 as 151 more registred

May 25, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan coronavirus cases have surpassed 800 after the ministry of health registered over 150 more cases on Monday. Dr. Makur Koriom, the undersecretary in the ministry of health said 243 samples were collected during the pass 48 hours among which 151 people were tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel […]

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FULL-TEXT: Kiir’s address to the nation over deaths rumors

May 25, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has addressed the nation this evening denying reports that he is sick with COVID-19 and was rushed to Cairo for treatment. Below is the full address of the South Sudanese head of state to the nation from J1. “Fellow Citizens, I have just called for this press briefing to […]

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Japanese embassy denies donating “virus prevention” cards to Kiir’s office

May 25, 2020 (SSNN) – The embassy of Japan in Juba on Monday denied reports that it has donated a package of unapproved “preventive” cards against COVID-19 to the office of the president. This comes after the office of the president said Japan had donated preventive cards also know as “Virus Shut Out.” In a statement this afternoon, the Japanese […]

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