![A South Sudan COVID-19 testing health worker seen taking samples of unidentified man as coronavirus cases in South Sudan surpasses 200. [Photo by unknown]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/97215722_3004209559645704_454862862284750848_o.png?ssl=1)
The ministry of health has attributed the sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 cases to an increase in outbound travelers coupled with a backlog of samples at South Sudan private facilities.
According to the health ministry, 80 cases were reported on Wednesday, Ninety-four new covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed on Thursday, and 166 cases were confirmed on Friday.
The ministry said some laboratories were not submitting test results on time and added that this has been resolved through supportive supervision which has increased reporting of cases.
South Sudan has conducted a total of 281,458 samples since the index case was reported in April last year.
So far, it has registered a total of 13,309 accumulative cases, and 12,614 recoveries, and 133 deaths.
![Chairman of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael speaks during an interview in Mekele Tigray region of Ethiopia, 8 June 2019. [Photo by /EPA/EFE]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Tigray-leader-800x450-1.jpg?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
![South Sudan deputy minister of foreign affairs Deng Dau Deng [Photo by unknown]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Deng-Dau.jpg?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
