Renk is one of the counties in Upper Nile State producing abundance of sorghum and sim-sim| Credit | Courtesy

At least over 5 hundred people who crossed the border from Sudan have escaped quarantine center in Renk – Upper Nile state, an MP representing Renk County has said.

A week ago, more than 1,000 South Sudanese living in critical condition at the border of Sudan-South Sudan were denied entry to South Sudan, this is according to the MP representing Renk County, Deng Goc.

However, the lawmaker stated that the authorities in Renk decided to allow the returnees to enter South Sudan and follow the preventative measures ordered by the authorities to be quarantined for 14 days.

The High-Level task force on coronavirus has announced on Thursday that South Sudanese entering the country illegally will be tested, quarantine for 14 days and taken to court.

This comes after reports of South Sudanese from the affected countries evading health checkpoints and disappear into communities.

The committee also has resolved to establish screening points at the major crossing border posts.

This comes as the number of people affected by coronavirus is increasing in the neighboring countries.

According to the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, South Sudan is coronavirus free.

However, the task force noted that with great concern reports of South Sudanese escaping from affected countries, evading the health checkpoints and blend into communities.

The MP has disclosed to Eye Radio on Friday that about 500 of the quarantined people at Renk secondary school escaped and vanished into residential areas in Renk.

He stated that the authorities in Renk have lockdown the town for 14 days as of Friday.

Hon. Goc indicated that the move comes after 500 peoples from Sudan who stranded on the border have escaped from the place where they were quarantined into the town two days ago.

He added that authorities couldn’t distinguish 500 people who escaped from the quarantine center in Renk from communities.

Last week South Sudan has closed its airspace for international flights including border points.

“There was no other alternative for Renk authorities, a part of turning the whole town as a big quarantine and to be lockdown totally no entry and no exit only for goods and food items,” Hon Goc said.

“This will be in Renk from now and for 14 days that is the decision the authorities come out with this morning [Friday].”

The MP says that the citizens need sensitization on the conronavirus.

“The only thing that could have helped people is their awareness of responsibility and come back to the quarantine area.”

“If they come back and we found that one of them is infected with the disease then the virus definitely has reached the town.”