Sudan Flash Update, 25 March 2020: As of 24 March 2020, three cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Sudan [EN/AR]
As of 24 March 2020, three cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Sudan. The two cases are in quarantine.
The Federal Ministry of Health continues to build community awareness of COVID-19 through social media, television, radio, and newspapers. The Sudan Aviation Authority issued a circular on 24 March 2020 saying that Khartoum and domestic airports will remain closed until 23 April 2020, with the exception of humanitarian and medical assistance flights, emergency landings, and fuel supply flights that do not require offloading of passengers. Authorities in North Darfur assigned the former UNAMID teamsite in Zamzam IDP camp as an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients. The teamsite was handed over to authorities in 2017.
Humanitarian partners continue to support the government in their efforts. Country-wide CoordinationUNFPA and the Combating Violence against Women directorate in the Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MoLSD) are working on updating the gender-based violence (GBV) referral pathways at national and states level to incorporate COVID-19 response.
Case ManagementUNFPA procured 10,000 dignity kits to cover the needs of vulnerable women and girls including those in isolation centers.
Operational Support and LogisticsA medical shipment sent by Chinese businessman Jack Ma to assist the country in facing the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Khartoum on 23 March, with World Food Programme and other actors providing logistical support. The shipment includes 20,000 testing kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits arrived on an Ethiopian cargo plane.