JUBA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan Ministry of Health on Monday confirmed 18 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 174.

Makur Matur Koriom, undersecretary in the Ministry of Health said the public health laboratory released 175 samples which were tested in the last 24 hours.

"The public health laboratory confirmed 18 cases, and out of these 16 are South Sudanese nationals, and the two are foreign truck drivers stopped at Nimule border crossing where samples were taken," Koriom told reporters in Juba.

He added that some of them are contacts of the previously confirmed cases, adding that the ministry of health has now divided the capital into five zones and within the zones, there are 44 health facilities used for random testing.

"We have now intensified samples random testing within Juba, and this is the reason why more cases are being confirmed at different locations," said Koriom.

The official said a full-contact tracing operation is underway and called on all the contacts to cooperate with the country's rapid response teams.

He urged the public to follow the World Health Organization's mandatory guidelines of washing hands with soap, including keeping social distancing as a means to help contain the spread of the virus.

The spike in COVID-19 cases comes in the wake of the government easing rules and directives last week it issued on March 25, as part of measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Enditem

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