JUBA — South Sudan’s information and communication minister Michael Makuei Lueth has tested positive for coronavirus.
Minister Makuei told VOA’s South Sudan in Focus that he has tested positive for the new coronavirus, becoming the third senior government official known to have gotten infected.
The official said he is among some members of the former High-Level Taskforce on COVID-19 who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
“Yes, I am positive. I have been informed that some members of the former committee are positive,” he said.
Makuei, who is also the government spokesman, called upon health officials to start tracing his potential contacts in the capital, Juba.
First Vice President Riek Machar and his wife Angelina Teny have also tested positive for COVID-19.
Machar said that he and his wife, who is also the Defense minister, had contracted the virus after interacting with infected members of the former taskforce on COVID-19.
He further said his wife Angelina Teny, who serves as defense minister and veterans’ affairs, also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The first vice president disclosed that a number of his staffers, including security guards, also contracted the virus, although their names were not mentioned.
Meanwhile, Dr. Makur Koryom, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Health said that the First Vice President and his wife have not shown symptoms for the disease.
“Both are in good health, they have no symptoms, they are in high spirit,” Makur said.
South Sudan has so far recorded 481 cases of coronavirus, six deaths and four patients recovered from the disease.
