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JUBA, Aug. 28-- Medical experts sent by the Chinese government to South Sudan had advised the east African country to strengthen the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. At the conclusion of their nine-day mission to South Sudan, the Chinese medics produced a report, which provided an in-depth analysis of South Sudan's coronavirus situation. The report released in Juba on Thursday reveals that South Sudan's COVID-19 response has deficiencies in the areas of emergency command system, community investigation, epidemic monitoring, infection prevention, clinical treatment, laboratory testing, health education, among others. The report also finds that there is lack of public attention to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report recommends the government to undertake reforms in the area of testing, control, treatment, epidemiological investigation and awareness creation. The report also calls for strengthening of treatment and management of COVID-19 patients and asymptomatic cases by setting up centralized isolation and treatment centers across South Sudan. It further recommends enforcement of strict preventive measures in public spaces like schools and religious institutions before the government could lift a four-month ban on social gatherings. South Sudan only admits critically ill coronavirus patients at the Infectious Disease Unit (IDU) as asymptomatic patients are allowed to self-isolate in their homes. | 
