The samples collected from Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State after three people died of a strange disease have tested negative for Ebola and other types of hemorrhagic fevers, a health official has said.

Last week, the Ministry of Health said it was investigating the death of three people who showed suspected symptoms of hemorrhagic fever in Raja.

The three people reportedly died after showing Ebola-like symptoms.

Since August 2018, South Sudan has been on high alert due to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, Dr. John Rumunu of the Emergency Operations Centre says samples tested for suspected hemorrhagic fevers have returned negative.

“I would like to emphasize that there is no Ebola virus in South Sudan and there is no reason to panic,” Dr Rumunu told reporters in Juba on Sunday.

On 3 October, a woman in Sir Malaga town, who went to the market, died shortly after returning with symptoms of bleeding from nose and mouth.

Two family members of the unnamed deceased presented similar symptoms, including fever and died as well, causing panic among the area residents.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of illnesses caused by four families of viruses. These include the Ebola and Marburg, Lassa fever, and yellow fever viruses.