AMID the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Sudanese fighters have taken control of a laboratory that poses a biological risk.
As clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) persist, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a huge biological risk.
Amid the 72-hour ceasefire between the 2 sides, the RSF reportedly seized the national public health laboratory in the capital Khartoum.
Despite this, the WHO did not blame the paramilitary group for taking control of the lab, however, it warned that workers can no longer access the facility.
In addition, power disruptions amid the conflict have made it impossible to properly manage the lab.
According to reports, biological and chemical materials were stored in the facility, including measles and cholera pathogens among others.
In a statement, who representative in Sudan, Nima Saeed said,
“There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab in Khartoum by one of the fighting parties,” said Nima Saeed, WHO representative in Sudan.
Furthermore, a medical source told another news agency that the danger lies in the possibility that the laboratory is turned into a ‘germ bomb.’
Meanwhile, casualties resulting from the clashes continue to rise with experts believing that the death toll could be much higher than what has been reported. Foreign nations are also speeding up evacuation efforts.
