His announcement has caused worldwide concern World Health Organization today that fighters in the destroyed by the Sudan conflicts have seized a central public laboratory containing samples of viruses such as polio, cholera and measles and other dangerous materials

The WHO warns that this is a “extremely, extremely dangerous” condition and “biological threat” as there is a risk of spreading infectious diseases.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva via video link from Sudan, the WHO’s Nima Said Abid said technicians could not reach the National Public Health Laboratory to secure the materials.

“That’s the main concern: no accessibility for lab technicians to go into the lab and safely contain the biological material and available substances,” he said, declining to specify which side seized the facility.

The situation of the residents is dramatic

After 10 days of fighting that killed hundreds of people and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced late last night that they had agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire with the army to provide humanitarian aid. assistance to the population.

The fighting has paralyzed hospitals and other essential services and trapped many in their homes as food and water supplies dwindle.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been forced to cut back some of its activities in parts of Sudan due to severe conflict.

Patrick Youssef, regional director for Africa of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), called on other countries to keep up pressure on Sudan to find a “long-term solution”, even after foreign nationals are removed.

In addition, up to 270,000 people may have fled Sudan and are in Chad and South Sudan, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) said today.

According to Laura lo Castro, HCR representative in Chad, 20,000 refugees have arrived in that country, and the organization expects the arrival of up to 100,000 people “in the worst case”.

Also, “in South Sudan, the most likely scenario is 125,000 returns of South Sudanese refugees and 45,000 refugees,” HCR representative in that country, Marie-Hélène Vernet, said at a press conference.