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Sudan Tribune

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Mysterious disease kills 15 SPLA soldiers in Pibor county

September 30, 2013 (BOR) – An unknown disease is said to have killed atleast 15 South Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers at Manybol, a military camp in Pibor County in Jonglei State.

Speaking to the Sudan Tribune on Monday, the Commissioner of Pibour County, Joshua Konyi Irer described the disease as serious and fatal.

The Commissioner who visited Manybol five days ago said three soldiers died on the day he was at the military camp.

‘‘The disease is serious. Three of the soldiers died in front of me when I was there.
One of them was a captain”, Konyi told Sudan Tribune on phone from Pibor town.

‘‘The patients die after a short time,’’ he added.

The Commissioner expressed fears that the yet-to-be diagnosed disease could wipe out the entire SPLA unit in the area saying that 15 soldiers had died since the disease broke out in the second week of September.

He said those infected with the disease are unable to move and complain of headache and fever.

No civilian in Manybol is yet to die from the disease but there are fears it could spread to the civilian population.

Attempts by Sudan Tribune to get a comment from the SPLA Commanding Officers in Manybol and the SPLA Spokesperson in Juba were unsuccessful.

Medecins Sans Frontiers(MSF) doctors made a visit to Manybol early this month to asses some of the patients suffering from the disease but MSF’s communications officer in Juba, Judy Waguma said it was not possible to acertain the disease without a full medical examination.

(ST)

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