World Health Organization issues warning on overcrowding as South Sudan enjoy festivities

By Simon Deng

The World Health Organization has issued a warning on overcrowding as South Sudanese exalt in the festive season, noting that COVID-19 is far from over.

The public and especially those with underlying health problems have been urged to stay indoors in order to limit access to the global pandemic.

“For people with underlying health conditions and for the elderly, obviously the eagerness to go to the church in the Christmas period is very well understood but if you are at increased risk because of the fact that you are a bit older or that you have diabetes or you are hypertensive or any other type of disease that can increase if you get COVID-19,”  Sacha Bootsma, the WHO COVID-19 Incident manager in South Sudan said.

“It is recommended not to go to church it is best to stay at home,” said Bootsma.

The world over, COVID-19 continues to ravage and a new trend, Omicron is posing added threat in the fight against the virus.

“Mass gathering is one major risk factor for transmission of the disease so having a lot of people in the churches is obviously not a good thing,” Bootsma said.

“It is a potential risk of meeting people that could be infected and infectious without knowing, we know that covid-19 many do not have symptoms you can still give it to somebody else.”

Mabior Kiir, the Acting Manager for public health emergency operation centre urged the churches to avail adequate handwashing facilities, noting that the villages may not have sanitizers but handwashing with soap and water is extremely important.