Govt's help sought to bring home stranded students in Sudan

Parents with children studying in Sudan are seeking the help of the Malaysian government to bring them home following an increase of COVID-19 cases in the country.

One of them, Mohd Shah Sapiei said there were about 45 Malaysian students stranded in the country who could not return to Malaysia as Sudan has already enforced a lockdown and ordered all airports closed.

"What is worrying us parents is that the pandemic is getting worse by the day. We have been made to understand by the students that hospitals in the country are in a sorry state.

"We hope the Malaysian government, especially our embassy could organise a special mission soon to bring all these students back because the situation there is alarming," he said.

Mohd Shah said his son Muhammad Hafidzin, a student at the International University of Africa, Khartoum province, is stranded along with 16 others at Rumah Ettihad Malaysia.

Muhammad Hafidzin, when contacted by Bernama said, 12 of the 17 Malaysian students staying at the Rumah Ettihad Malaysia had COVID-19 symptoms, but are now showing signs of recovery.

"Most of them were believed to have had the symptoms from May 13 to 15 during the middle of Ramadan. Fortunately, the Malaysian embassy came to visit and help with cough and fever medicines.

"They also provide assistance in the form of disinfectants such as sanitiser and Clorox. Thank you very much to the Malaysian embassy for being concerned about our situation," he said.

Earlier, in a posting on the Malaysian Sudan Student Association Facebook page on May 18, 12 of the 17 Malaysian students living in the Rumah Ettihad Malaysia were reported to be unwell a few days earlier and feared to have been infected with COVID-19.

"Some of the symptoms experienced include fever, cough, headache, sore throat, sensory loss and fatigue. Until yesterday there were some students who showed signs of recovery but were still weak.

The students also contacted the hospital overseeing COVID-19 treatment in Khartoum and all students had been advised to remain quarantined in the house for 14 days.

According to the worldometer.info website, to date, 4,521 COVID-19 positive cases have been recorded in Sudan, with 233 fatalities. - BERNAMA