The first suspected coronavirus case in Malakal town in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State has tested negative, health officials said.

Dr. Angok Gordon Kuol, the Incident Manager for Coronavirus at the Ministry of Health, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the latest suspected case that involved a humanitarian worker in Malakal has tested negative.

The health official stated that the aid worker was experiencing symptoms, which prompted concern and led to tests administered at the national laboratory in Juba.

“The tests came back negative. The person has been asked to quarantine himself for 14 days,” Angok said.

Agok has urged South Sudanese to adhere to the guidelines provided by the government in preventing the coronavirus. Besides observing high standards of hygiene, the health official asked South Sudanese to limit human contact.

Last week, South Sudan’s government banned major public events and suspended direct flights to countries affected by COVID-19, as the illness is officially known.

South Sudan has no confirmed case of the new coronavirus but neighbouring Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo and Kenya, have all reported confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Globally, the virus has infected more than 194,000 people and killed at least 7,873, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).