More than 5,000 people have crossed into South Sudan from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reportedly fleeing an Ebola outbreak, the UN said on Tuesday.
The arrivals entered Ibba County in Western Equatoria state between July and mid-October, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
Nearly 380 of the arrivals are Congolese nationals, while the remainder are South Sudanese returning after seeking refuge in the DRC, OCHA said.
During a visit last week to Nabanga Payam in Ibba County, OCHA and its partners found that most recent arrivals urgently needed medicines, nutritional supplies, food, kitchen utensils, sleeping mats, blankets and dignity kits for women and adolescent girls.
The agencies also called for an Ebola isolation centre to be made operational to strengthen screening and disease surveillance at the Nabanga border crossing.
Continued Ebola transmission in the DRC poses a risk of the disease spreading into South Sudan through cross-border movements, OCHA said.
South Sudan’s Ministry of Health, National Public Health Institute and UN partners recently conducted a simulation exercise in Juba and in Yei and Yambio counties to test the country’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to suspected Ebola cases.
UN warns of rising violence
Separately, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed concern about escalating violence in Tonj North and Tonj East counties in Warrap state, including an armed attack on Akop Payam early on Tuesday.
The attack followed clashes on October 26 that left 72 people dead and 38 wounded, amid a cycle of retaliatory violence, UN Associate Spokesperson Daniela Gross de Almeida said during the UN noon briefing.
UNMISS has deployed a six-day patrol in the area. Peacekeepers based in Warrap town are conducting patrols towards affected communities in coordination with local authorities, Daniela said.
She said the mission is also engaging state and county authorities to help contain the violence and prevent further attacks.
and then