South Sudan's vice president Riek Machar tests positive for the novel coronavirus

South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar addresses a news conference in Juba. File picture: Samir Bol/Reuters

South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar addresses a news conference in Juba. File picture: Samir Bol/Reuters

Published May 19, 2020

Share

Juba - South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar has tested

positive for the novel coronavirus, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

Four other ministers also tested positive for the virus, including

Machar's wife Angelina Teny who is also the East African nation's

defence minister, press secretary James Gatdet Dak told dpa.

Several of Machar's bodyguards were also confirmed to have contracted

the virus, he added.

Machar and his wife were currently in quarantine at their home in the

South Sudanese capital Juba, according to Gatdet.

South Sudan has so far reported 285 coronavirus cases and six deaths,

according to the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

  

dpa

* For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL's  special #Coronavirus page.

** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit  sacoronavirus.co.za 

Related Topics: