President Salva Kiir has announced the closure of all bars and tea places.

In a Presidential order issued last evening, Kiir also announced half-day working hours for government employees. All civil servants will be working from 7:30 am to 1 pm.

Non-essential staff are encouraged to work from home, as part of national measures to prevent coronavirus.

The undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, also secretary of the high-level coronavirus committee, Dr Makur Koriom, says the order is has been put in place as a measure to protect the country from the virus.