Sudan fighters occupy public health lab, WHO warns of "huge biological risk"
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Geneva: A party of fighters in Sudan has occupied a central public health lab that holds samples of diseases like polio and measles. The WHO warned that it has created an "extremely, extremely dangerous" situation and "huge biological risk".
Nima Saeed Abid, the WHO's representative in Sudan, said "There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab... by one of the fighting parties," reported AFP. "This is the main concern: no accessibility to the lab technicians to go to the lab and safely contain the biological material and substances available." The official did not reveal which side has seized the facility.
The lab also holds pathogens of cholera and other hazardous materials.
Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said the situation is grim in the third-largest African nation. A third of the country's population was in need of aid even before the current bout of violence started. There were already shortages of food, clean water, medicine, fuel, and electricity. Prices are now skyrocketing. Looting of humanitarian supplies is being reported in Khartoum, Northern Blue Nile, North Kordofan, and Darfur.
Since the fighting started between the Sudanese armed forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries on April 15, at least 459 people have been killed and 4,072 people have been injured. Several nations including the US, Canada, France, Poland, Switzerland, and Japan have closed their embassies and are focused on evacuating people. Both fighting parties have agreed on a 72-hour ceasefire to evacuate foreign personnel.