Map of Western Equatoria State|Courtesy

Authorities in Western Equatoria State have confirmed that no case of Ebola has been reported in the state, while preparations are underway to strengthen border surveillance and response measures.

Speaking to Eye Radio from Yambio, the State capital, the State Minister of Information, James Abdallah Arona, said the country has not registered any Ebola case so far.

He added that the State government is preparing to deploy health personnel and necessary support at border entry points, especially along routes connecting to the Democratic Republic of Congo, to prevent the possible spread of the virus into the country.

“No, there is no any report of a Ebola case now here, but we want to do the preparation. We want to do the preparation so that we can deploy our help personnel in all the entry points, entry points to Congo,” Minister Arona told Eye Radio on Monday.

Last week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared an outbreak of the deadly viral disease in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which borders South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State.

According to Africa CDC, there are around 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths as of Friday.

Ebola is a severe and often deadly viral disease that spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.

Common symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding in severe cases.

Health authorities usually emphasize early detection, screening at borders and public awareness as key measures to prevent outbreaks.