South Sudan has registered 54 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 290, the country's Health ministry has said.

Speaking to The EastAfrican on Sunday in Juba, Health ministry spokesman Dr Loi Thuoi said some of the new cases were contacts of people who had already tested positive for the coronavirus disease, others were people who sought help after experiencing symptoms, while a third group were people who were tested as they wanted to travel outside the country.

Last Friday, President Salva Kiir dissolved the High-Level Taskforce on coronavirus pandemic and reconstituted a new one, following complaints from citizens and activists that the committee was full of politicians and makes non-scientific decisions.

The new taskforce is led by Vice President in charge of the Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi, and has a number of undersecretaries, the health minister, and a member of the doctors’ union.

Last week, some South Sudanese criticised President Kiir for easing Covid-19 restrictions, warning that the country may experience a full-blown pandemic.