The Central Equatoria state government is considering closing down schools in the state if cases of cholera increase.

The state Minister of Education says they may be forced to suspend teaching to stop the disease from spreading at schools.

There are suspected cases of cholera infection among students that have been recorded at Juba Teaching Hospital.

Hastin Yokwe said the decision to close down the schools depends on whether the disease can be contained on time.

“In the events that there is an increase, we are likely to close the schools because this are the biggest places where people congregate,” Mr Yokwe told Eye Radio.

Mr. Yokwe urges parents to take care of their children by observing their hygiene and keeping their homes clean.

He said the state Ministry of Education with the Ministry of Health will train teachers on how to handle emergency cases of cholera among students in the schools.

A consultant Pathologist in the National Ministry of Health, Dr. Oromo Francis urges the public to maintain proper hygiene to contain the outbreak of the disease.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by eating of contaminated food or drinking contaminated water.

It is characterized by watery diarrhea and vomiting.

It requires drinking of clean water, eating food that is not exposed to flies and maintaining proper sanitation.