JUBA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 120.
Richard Lako, director-general for planning, budget and research in the ministry of health, said the latest cases of COVID-19 were from 186 samples which were tested in five different parts of the country in the last 24 hours.
"Out of these results, 30 cases were confirmed while 37 tests are to be rerun and 119 tested negative," Lako told reporters in Juba.
The official said the latest cases are South Sudanese citizens who have been approved to travel to states from Juba, noting that some of them are contacts of the previously confirmed cases.
He said all the latest cases are part of the local transmission.
"So far with these 30 latest cases, South Sudan has now jumped to 120 confirmed cases of infections with two recoveries and no death reported," said Lako.
The official said a full-contact tracing operation is underway and called on all the contacts to cooperate with the country's rapid response teams.
The spike in COVID-19 cases comes a day after the world's youngest nation eased rules and directives which were issued as part of measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Enditem
