COVID-19: Low vaccine uptake coupled with minimal adherence to preventive measures exposes South Sudan to second virus wave

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As some countries around the globe fight to contain the outbreak of Covid-19 various waves, South Sudan remains vulnerable to more infections from the expected third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, according to health experts.

Recently, the Ministry of Health confirmed the presence of the Delta Covid-19 variant in South Sudan.

As part of the campaign to minimise the virus spread, the ministry says it has so far administered 56, 587 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from both the first and second consignments that the country received from the UK based COVAX facility.  

The health institution, however, stressed that at least 4 percent of the 60,000 AstraZeneca vaccines that the country received from the Covax Facility in April this year were wasted. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), South Sudan is expecting to get its third batch of the vaccine in early August – this is after the second AstraZeneca vaccine consignment expired on July 18. The health ministry recently said it has stopped administering the remainder of the expired AstraZeneca vaccines.

In various interviews with 211 Check last week, health experts revealed that there has been low uptake of the vaccine, attributing the occurrence to expiration concerns, logistical challenges and vaccine misinformation.

The tendency, according to health authorities, constitutes a danger to the population especially, since there has been an upsurge in the cases of the Delta variant across the region.

Dr. John Romunu – Director General for Preventive Health Services at the Ministry of Health encourages South Sudanese to participate collectively in the reduction of the virus spread, in order to mitigate the third wave and new variant.

“The vaccines are the safer preventive measure for Covid-19 but the low number of doses South Sudan receives from the world in terms of donation, coupled with the public reluctance of citizens to take the vaccine creates more danger for the population.

“Humbly, we [Ministry] encourage people to continue following all the recommended Covid-19 preventive measures, to avoid more transmissions of the virus,” said Romunu.

Dr. Romunu went on to appeal to members of the public to adhere to all preventive measures.

Threats associated with the Delta Variant

In Mid-July, South Sudan confirmed its first case of the highly contagious Delta Variant.  

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Delta is the name for the B.1.617.2 Variant, a SARS-CoV-2 mutation that originally surfaced in India.

The first Delta case was identified in December 2020, and the strain spread rapidly, soon becoming the dominant strain of the virus in India and then Great Britain.

As per health experts, the symptoms are similar to those seen with the original coronavirus strain and other variants, including a persistent cough, headache, fever, and sore throat.

The late July confirmation of two more cases of Delta Variants in South Sudan means the country so far has three cases of the new coronavirus variant. 

Dr Joseph Francis Wamala, a senior epidemiologist at the WHO South Sudan office says countries across the world still continue to report an upsurge on Covid-19 related deaths despite massive vaccination actions, which so far have translated to 3.4 billion administered doses globally.

“What is significant for this period is the fact that even after having effective vaccines, we continue to get very high numbers of deaths that continue to be reported among vulnerable groups”. 

Dr. Wamala warns that there are no indications for the pandemic coming to an end, as more cases continue to be reported at the global level.

He added that the global shortage of vaccines poses another serious threat to countries in dire need to vaccinate their most vulnerable populations. 

The UN health expert stressed that the new worry is the effectiveness of the current vaccine which has been reduced by the new variant.

“Some of the gaps that are really worrying include the global shortage of vaccines. Only a quarter of the global population is being vaccinated and most of the vaccinated are in a few high- and upper-income countries.

“And the reason to worry is that the new variant has actually minimised the effectiveness of the vaccines that we have,” Wamala said.

Dr. Wamala encourages governments to do readiness assessments and ensure that they have enough contingency measures such as adequate oxygen in their health facilities.

As of July 30, South Sudan had recorded 11,049 cumulative cases of Covid-19, with 118 deaths and 10, 099 recoveries.

The good news for South Sudan is that according to the Ministry of Health, the COVAX facility is said to have approved 732, 000 AstraZeneca doses for the world’s youngest nation. This development might propel South Sudan’s efforts in its fight against the Coronavirus. 

Author: Woja Emmanuel Wani – AFF Fellow – Cohort 3, edited by Garang Abraham and Eleanor Macheso. 

NOTE: This article was produced as a result of partnership between DefyHateNow and Medaan, with support from Article19. 

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The role of misinformation in aiding Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy in South Sudan

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South Sudan recorded its first Covid-19 case on April 5, 2020, through a foreign national that travelled from the Netherlands via the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, and then later to Juba.

After the announcement of the first case, health authorities and partners who anticipated the virus went to work. The team of united institutions created numerous programs aimed at sensitizing the public, in order to prevent and create responses to the virus.

It has been more than a year and a half since the proclamation was made, and efforts towards societal sensitization continue to shrink due to lack of funding. 

Many of the state’s Covid-19 health facilities have been shut down, as a result of  inadequate donor funding, according to the ministry of health – yet South Sudan, a country with fragile health infrastructure pumps 154,000 barrels of crude oil per day. 

Vaccine Misinformation

In March this year, South Sudan received 132,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine from CoVAX – the global initiative to ensure lower-income countries  have access to vaccines.

However, in May, the country initiated a process to return some of its vaccines after concluding it cannot administer the vaccines before they expire. Kenya immediately expressed interest to have the consignment of 72,000 vaccines. 

On  July 18, South Sudan’s second Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine consignment expired. This was after  56, 587 citizens got the vaccines.

According to the Ministry of Health Vaccination Report, Central Equatoria states led the highest vaccine consumption with 26, 195 South Sudanese vaccinated, Eastern Equatoria State followed with 3,073 immunized, while Jonglei State laid bottom with 1,788 total citizens vaccinated.

“The total number of South Sudanese below 56 years that took the vaccines is 5.72%, while a total of 94.28% personnel that took the jab are above the age 56.

“The total number of vaccines consumed from the first dose is 51,907, while 4,680 doses were consumed in the second dose” reads the report.

Since the vaccine arrival, the health authorities and partners initiated vaccine awareness programs which have largely been through mainstream media usage of Public Service Announcements (PSAs), talk shows, road drives etcetera – in a move to mobilize thousands to get the jab.

But the Health Ministry last month said at least 6,063 doses have been wasted in the 96 facilities of 35 counties, situated in 10 States across the country.

Why the low vaccine turn-up?

Kenyi Noel, a 33 old-year resident of Juba’s Gudele suburb says he has opted to stay without vaccination.

“If I get myself vaccinated and still get re-infected even after being inoculated, what does that mean? Secondly, I don’t need the vaccine because I am fine” said Kenyi. The World Health Organizations says,  “Covid-19 vaccine does not prevent you from getting the virus but prevents the disease from getting into severity because the anti-bodies the vaccine induces are a defense mechanism that fight back and reduce the number of the viruses that may cause more hurt to you and also reduces hospitalizations’’.

Dr. Garang Anthony – acting chairman of South Sudan Doctors’ Union blames Kenyi’s statement on low vaccine information, mixed with misinformation, ‘Majority are afraid of the vaccine because of a lot of misinformation and dis-information”.

“Misinformation related to vaccines is rampant. People have the information but somewhere the information got distorted and they are confused whether they should go for the vaccination or abstain” Garang added.

Meanwhile, Lusuab Memo – Eye Radio veteran journalist who has been covering Covid-19 since its emergence in South Sudan says the continuous rejection of the jab is triggered by vaccine rumors.

“The kind of understanding people have certainly coils from what they hear and whether the information is actually  from experts”.

“Some people created vaccine myths, because they have an underlying kind of attitude toward the general situation of the country like the economic crisis’’ said Memo who runs a weekly radio talk show on Covid-19.

With too much vaccine information being received, especially amongst those with access to the internet and social media – the dividing line between credible information and misinformation has become difficult.

“Malicious information driven by alternative media is also another contributing vaccine myths, especially done by individuals who sit in their houses and write to catch the attention of the person or want to sell their platforms’’ Memo added.

However, even with the rampant spread of  vaccine misinformation, some people are still willing to get vaccinated. For instance, Juba’s Hai Mouna resident who preferred to be identified as Monica said she will still get the jab regardless of the myths.

“Naiveness towards the vaccine is uncalled for. I am determined to receive my jab as soon as the second bunch arrives” Monica revealed.

Above all, it is due to acknowledge that there has been an increased number of people coming for the jab witnessed by the exhaustion of the first bunch received.

As of July 30, South Sudan has recorded 11,049 cumulative cases of Covid-19, 118 deaths and 10, 099 recoveries.

The World Health Organization has urged South Sudan to ensure at least 10 percent of the population is vaccinated against coronavirus by September 2021.

Author: Dave Boboto – AFF Fellow – Cohort 3, edited by Garang Abraham and Eleanor Macheso. 

NOTE: This article was produced as a result of partnership between DefyHateNow and Medaan, with support from Article19.  

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Gun-violence leaves at least 63 dead across South Sudan in July alone

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Author: Emmanuel Bida

211 Check July investigation has shown a huge decrease of citizens killed as a result of gun-violence across the country in July this year.

A monthly data gathered by 211 Check from reports published by prominent mainstream media houses, such as Radio Miraya, Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio and Juba Echo, revealed sixty-three [63] deaths triggered by gun-violence.

However, the data shows a huge decrease of 56.85% and 76.68% of killings registered, compared to months of June and May respectively. In May and June, at least 310 and 146 South Sudanese respectively lost their lives in various incidents associated with gun-violence.

In the July data report, Warrap State recorded 15 deaths – the lead state with the highest killings, most of which were related to cattle raiding, while Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Unity States followed each with 9, 8, 6, and 6 deaths registered respectively.

Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal and Western Equatoria States all enumerated two [2] violent related deaths each.

On the positive note, no deaths were reported in Abyei Administrative Area, Upper Nile and Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State.

According to observers, the decrease in killing is attributed to improvement of security measures in some areas which were previously experiencing waves of insecurity. However, continuous consistent efforts in strengthening security across the country can reduce the loss of lives due to gun violence.

NOTE: This data doesn’t fully bear the actual or complete number of killings across the country, it only bears data reported by the two prominent media houses [Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio, Juba Echo and Radio Miraya]. There might be several other deaths recorded by various media houses or those not even reported.

Below is a bar chart bearing the statistics of deaths recorded.

Know your facts!

211 Check is a fact checking and information verification platform established to counter mis/disinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence. To know more about fact checking processes, click: https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/.

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June Social Media Health Report: Music discussions dominated the online space, Culture, Politics, and Sports followed.

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By Emmanuel Bida

Introduction

This June social media health report constitutes findings gathered from South Sudan’s numerous online pages on Facebook. The report bears rates of interactions by South Sudanese online users in the country and abroad as per various areas of interest. 

The discussions observed online in the month of June varied from politics, culture, sports, music and religion among others. This analysis is based on comprehensive day-to-day monitoring of several renowned social media platforms on Facebook as well as additional data obtained from Crowd Tangle Intelligence tool.  

The one-month report bears data of interactions on Facebook, most talked-about topics, reactions of online users to different agendas shared online, as well as social media behaviour, among others. 

Summary of Page Interactions

In South Sudan, 116 of the 191 pages produced 1,718 posts in the first week of June, averaging 2.12 posts per day. These posts drew the attention of nearly 300,000 Facebook users. The overall number of encounters has decreased by 23.69 percent.  118 of the 191 Facebook sites we track published 1,744 posts, averaging 2.11 per day, with almost 260,000 Facebook users engaging with the content. The overall number of interactions decreased by -19.28 percent in the second week of June. In the third week of June, 2,964 posts were published on 120 of 191 pages, for an average of 3.53 posts per day. With approximately 400,000 Facebook interactions, this was the busiest week yet. The percentage gain was 19.52 percent, with page like growth of 0.86 percent. In the last week of June, 1,944 posts were made on the 113 pages we track, averaging 2.46 each day. The number of people who reacted was a little more than 245,000. The overall number of interactions has dropped by 46.12%.

Key issues of the month: 

Key issues of the month as seen below are defined as most topics or events that occurred online, which took netizens’ attention and caused interactions’ traffic among South Sudanese within the country and abroad. 

  1. The death of self-proclaimed Nigerian Televangelist prophet TV Joshua 

This was one of the leading stories in the early days of June. Joshua’s death took people by surprise and the below Facebook post by Nyamilepedia took the lead on Facebook, with over 1,500 interactions.

  1.   South Sudan medical doctors’ poor salaries and the delays

Another leading issue that week was a news story by The City Review, in which a medical doctor passed on and his fellow workers attributed his death to the government’s failure to pay wages in a timely manner. The post had nearly 1,000 interactions that day alone.

  1. Traditional video shared by South Sudanese Australian-based journalist 

In the second week of June, a post shared by a South Sudanese Australian based journalist created a huge debate online, which generated thousands of interactions. Ajak Deng Chiengkou shared a video bearing a throwback of him practicing Dinka traditional dance in 2019 – a video that got nearly 3,000 interactions, 1,000 comments and 1,000 shares. It was viewed by nearly 350,000 people on Facebook.   

  1. South Sudanese frustrations over economic hardships and bad governance

On 11th June 2021, Our Diversity – an online platform with over 23 000 followers shared a video of two singers describing South Sudan’s state of the nation, highlighting the hardship citizens have undergone and are still bearing. The video got over 14,000 interactions, 700 comments, and nearly 1,000 shares. Most of the comments praised the artists for being creative enough to talk about South Sudan’s hardships in a musical language. “This is the summary of 10 years of SPLM in power,” reads one of the comments.

  1. South Sudanese artist meets with Nigerian Stars Davido and Chamedena

One of Junub celebz’s posts, about an alleged anticipated collaboration between South Sudanese singer Chamdena and Nigeria’s Davido, also got many people talking on Facebook, with the post getting over 10,000 reactions, 400 comments, and 30 shares. Many South Sudanese in the comment section congratulated the artist while others disputed the news, saying he was only posing for pictures.

  1. Happiness and controversies over the ongoing Juba Stadium construction work

Footage of the Juba National Stadium under construction posted by the South Sudan Football Association on 15th June 2021 created an online debate with over 2,000 interactions, nearly 150 comments, and 200 shares. Many comments congratulated the FIFA global and South Sudan Football Association, while a few others raised concerns about the seats, lack of roofs/shade, and conformance to international standards.

  1. Opposition army chief rejects President Kiir peace advisor position appointment

Radio Tamazuj’s story on Gen. Gatwech’s rejection of the Presidential advisor position got many Facebook users talking. Over 5,000 people interacted with the post, which led to 1,000+ comments, 2,000+ shares and over 110,000 views. Mixed feelings were expressed in the comments with others supporting his decision and some not.

  1. Foreign Mission highlights the work of renowned traffic officer’s work

In a move to highlight his efforts in controlling the traffic jam, the United States Mission in South Sudan featured popular Juba traffic officer George Kenyi, by sharing a post on the embassy’s Facebook page. The post caught the attention of its followers, where many continue to appreciate George for the dedicated selfless service he has been providing and continues to. George Kenyi normally controls Seven-Day round-about traffic. 

  1. South Sudan’s female football star offered a job

SSDGuna.com – a tabloid media house that focuses mainly on entertainment shared the news of a South Sudanese female footballer Amy Lasu having been offered a job by Liberian club – Determine Girls FC. The post was among the leads that day, with many online users showering her with mob congratulatory messages. The post got nearly 3,000 interactions and over 100 comments including several shares.

  1. University of Juba student graduates at 66, after spending 44 years studying

In the last days of June, another story that made headlines was that of a man who graduated 40 years after his admission at the University of Juba. The story which was shared by Eye Radio, got over 3,500 interactions, nearly 500 comments, and over 100 shares. 

 Conclusion

Using Social Media monitoring technologies, discourse, and content analysis, this report looked into the online behaviour of South Sudanese social media users within the month of June. Various conversations took place over the monitoring and reporting period, with the situation in South Sudan continuing to be prominently covered. In addition, graphics, videos, and text were shared online, some of which were hot topics. However, video posts covered the highest interactions rates. 

Some of the statements that followed the release of information online, were among the conversations mostly talked about in the public domain. During the monitoring and reporting period, the spread of mis and/or disinformation and hate speech by regulated and alternative media houses did not dominate social media discussions. This can be attributed to #HateFreeSouthSudan and #defyhatenow social media campaigns including the practice of ethical journalism, information fact-checking and verification.

As seen in the leading posts, alternative media content predominates, in terms of what is being discussed online, especially on common social media platforms. Different realities were shared on social media, and as a result, individuals were exposed to a variety of viewpoints.

The report also shows that social media involvement was generally healthy over the monitoring and reporting period. Disinformation, hateful and inciting content, as well as those that directly or indirectly advocate violence against certain communities, have all decreased dramatically.

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ONLINE FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Recognizing and Avoiding ‘Social Media Scams and Hoaxes’

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Author: Ariik Robert and Bida Emmanuel

Online scams are becoming more prevalent, it is essential to check whether the information you see online is legitimate. Are you always cautious about content obtained online? 

The growth of digital technology globally has led to the emergence of various online platforms which are used as channels for information and interaction, but as more people get online, cases of digital fraud on rise. 

Such events are attributed by technological experts to mostly low internet literacy, among other factors. 

Over the past few months, 211 Check has identified a number of scam related institutions offering scholarships, loans, grants and giveaways using names of prominent individuals, businesses, and organizations on social media.

Continued reports we received show that frauders are using social media to find new and unsuspecting victims in South Sudan.

Our investigation states that hundreds if not thousands of South Sudanese netizens  may have been exposed to fraud/scams on the various social media platforms. 

Most scammers lure the online users with the extortion of money in appeals for elites support, especially the politicians. These scams trick users into thinking that they are interacting with legitimate entities online, and by the time they discover the fraud, it is often too late.

Scammers craft these fake offers and use them to prey on unsuspecting individuals using fake FB or Twitter accounts to defraud them of money, increase their website clicks for monetary gain, or steal personal information. 

These scams mix some truth with false information and use this to manipulate legitimate content to increase their visibility and reach, making some hoaxes difficult to spot.

Well, how can you avoid being conned? Here are some important things to look out for in order to avoid  being scammed. 

Poorly written posts

Many scams are produced in a hurry, and they often contain spelling and grammatical mistakes asking you to take certain actions. While errors may result from scammers having a poor command of the language, most mistakes are intentional and strategic.

The organizations that these scammers impersonate often have social media teams whose jobs are to carefully craft messages before they go online, perhaps it is unlikely that these errors would pass internal scrutiny before being published.

It is possible that these errors are inserted to dissuade those likely to spot them and report the scam, therefore this could be a strategy to isolate those who are less keen and more gullible, and who are more likely to fall prey to the scam.

One such indicator is; posts that are written in all capital letters and that have a lot of exclamation points.

An example of a post with grammatical errors

Posts that ask users to share content with friends to win

Some posts claiming to offer gift cards or shopping vouchers from popular stores or retail chains circulating on social media contain a link to a page that asks users to share the post with their friends and contacts as one step towards winning whatever prize is on offer.

Clicking on the link often redirects you to a site that requires users to give personal information, in order to claim winnings. The information requested varies from the name and phone number; to asking for payments via mobile money in order for their information to be processed.

Despite fulfilling the conditions asked to get the giveaway, another step is sometimes required: the user is asked to share the message with their WhatsApp contacts, or on Facebook groups, widening the net of potential victims to be scammed.

This asks the user to share with 20 others as a condition to receive gifts

Needless to say, no gift is forthcoming even after the post has been shared with contacts. Instead, the last step may lead to a new link, which tries to obtain additional data from the user.

Please, always avoid such posts, they are scams related and may jeopardize your account. 

Free Scholarship that is guarantee and only requests  for your personal information

Scholarships are generally given to students with high-quality academic records, nothing in life comes easy, and thus there is no free or guaranteed scholarship. 

But the scammers instead use that trap to collect your personal datas like email, date of birth, credit card number, and passwords which theylater use to commit identity theft to later commit crimes online using your identity. 

Others will even impersonate you and then start asking for money or loans from people close to you using your identity.

A text  from a scammer requesting for personal information to send a victim money for scholarship 

Posts that ask for money to facilitate a process

Scams that directly ask for money are the easiest to spot. This is common in job and scholarship scams, where applicants are asked to pay a fee, termed as processing, application, or registration fee, to be considered for the job or the scholarship.

The payments are usually required through a mobile money transfer app or bank, which is most commonly used in South Sudan and neighboring countries. However, the fee is sent to a personal number — often described as an official at the entity in question, such as the human resource manager — and not to the company’s legitimate bank account or mobile money pay bill.

Screenshot of a WhatsApp message from a scammer suggesting payment methods

The fee at times is relatively small but various with financial status, usually about US Dollars 50 to US Dollars 200 – an amount can translate to a hefty sum for the scammers should they succeed in fooling a large number of people.

Genuine job advertisements, grants, scholarships, and giveaways from legitimate companies do not require a fee to be paid, and being asked to pay upfront is a clear sign that something is fishy. 

Even the global UN agencies don’t ask for a job application fee. Be always careful with such. 

Posts that direct to an unrelated website

Some scams use the name of a real company, going as far as setting up a social media page or website using the name of the company.

One common tactic is the use of Google forms, which are quick and easy to set up, and can be made to look official and legitimate. These are popular with the job and scholarship scams, and grants used to steal people’s personal information.

Screenshot of a misleading grant application google form taken on July 29, 2020

In other instances, scammers make false offers to lure users to websites that earn advertising revenue for their owners. This could be a Facebook post advertising a flash sale at an appliance store. However, the link on the post does not direct to the official website of the store in question, but instead leads to a basic-looking website, usually running on a basic content management system, such as a WordPress site with the colors customized to imitate the brand in question.

In addition, scammers also use recognized brands to promote fake prizes and giveaways, with a social media page that has the name of the entity which looks very similar to the brand they claim to represent but with slight variation.

On June 30, 2020, a Facebook page called “South Sudan ministry of finance and planning” claimed that the South Sudanese government is handing out grants worth $41.4 million to entrepreneurs and farmers as part of an economic development program that aims to promote local investment.

“Applicants MUST be South Sudanese citizens aged between 23-57 years,” the post adds.

Screenshot of a fake Facebook post taken on July 28, 2020

Whenever you click a link on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or WhatsApp, be sure to check whether the URL or web address matches that of the company named in the posts. 

NOTE: Some legitimate pages use link-shortening services such as Bitly that are not immediately recognizable as a spoof.

Many scams tend to focus on brands that may not have a website. The case of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, for example, which does not have a dedicated website where users can get more information on its activities, making it easier for fraudsters to hijack their brand image using a convincing domain and website or even a mere social media account.

Giveaway scams also tend to focus on people’s perceived needs. 211 Check looked into a number of scams offering fully-funded scholarships, also asking applicants to pay an application fee.

In this instance, the website offering scholarships does not identify the charities behind “fully funded” scholarships, and instead focuses on the application process for the free tanks. These scams are very tricky, be always vigilant!

Impersonation

Impersonation can be defined as pretending to be somebody else. 

It is used when someone tries to look and sound like another person, as much as possible. This greatly occurs to popular public officials. 

Fake Tourist

Under this guise, a person sends an unsuspecting individual a text expressing willingness to visit the country in which they live and appeals for their email as an official way of communication. This a move to trick the victims into thinking that the scammers are legitimate people who want to strike an official deal. 

In most cases, this turns out to be a negative experience for the victims as the [scammer] lures them into gaining their trust as the currency of the transaction. With this, the predator uses the connection established to ask for favors.

A messenger text from a scammer

Promotions or competitions shared on recently created pages or websites

Some hoaxes are shared through posts that advertise a promotion or competition, with details on how to enter and win prizes.

Before clicking on any links from the page, check to see when the page was set up and whether there are other posts on the page.

A genuine page from a major brand will have multiple posts, a small fraction of which might be promotions, and these often do not contain major, expensive giveaways. Often one-off giveaway pages will have been set up within the past month.

To identify the gaps, take a look at the date of the oldest post. Fraudulent posts are often shared on accounts that have recently been set up, sometimes just days before or even on the same day the scam was published. 

Conversely, major brands often have an extensive social media footprint, and their online pages and accounts have a lot of published posts.

Scammers may use a brand name and logo to advertise a campaign that asks users to like and share the competition to enter. Always check on the company’s legitimate website or social media accounts to verify whether the same competition or campaign has been posted there.

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Fake Samsung page using engagement bait to boost the visibility and reach of the page

Conclusion:

Online scams and hoaxes are a common occurrence in our digital lives. They can be spreaded in multiple ways including email, social media, phone calls, or text messages. 

Spotting a scam quickly will keep your personal data safe, save your time and protect you against fraud. 

At first, these posts seem pretty harmless, but by clicking the ‘Like’ button, scammers may be able to see the information they might not have been able to see before, such as your phone number and location. 

Once you click on a scam advert or message, you and your connections are more likely to be targeted with similar fraudulent material as the scammers now have your information.

Lastly, always run titles through a search engine before engaging in any online campaign. Chances are that fakes will have been reported by other users and can be found easily enough.

The golden rule is, if something about the content does not sound right, it probably is not. If you suspect something, reach out to the brand in question. They often have multiple recognized channels for engagement, and they also tend to be very responsive to customer queries. If in doubt, ask.

Scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch you off guard when you’re not expecting it. Scammers are getting smarter and taking advantage of new technology, new products or services, and major events to create believable stories that will convince you to give them your money or personal details. 

Protect yourself

Be alert to the fact that scams exist. When dealing with uninvited contacts from people or businesses, whether it’s over the phone, by mail, email, in person, or on a social networking site, always consider the possibility that the approach may be a scam. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Know who you’re dealing with: If you’ve only ever met someone online or are unsure of the legitimacy of a business, take some time to do a bit more research. Do a Google image search on photos or search the internet for others who may have had dealings with them. 

If a message or email comes from a friend and it seems unusual or out of character for them, contact your friend directly to check that it was really them that sent it.

Do not open suspicious texts, pop-up windows, or click on links or attachments in emails – delete them: If unsure, verify the identity of the contact through an independent source such as a phone book or online search. Don’t use the contact details provided in the message sent to you.

Keep your personal details secure: Put a lock on your mailbox and shred your bills and other important documents before throwing them out. Keep your passwords and pin numbers in a safe place. 

Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social media sites. Scammers can use your information and pictures to create a fake identity or to target you with a scam.

Keep your mobile devices and computers secure: Always use password protection, don’t share access with others (including remotely), update security software, and backup content. 

Protect your WiFi network with a password and avoid using public computers or WiFi hotspots to access online banking or provide personal information.

Research about the scholarship you are applying for: Make sure you make do some research about the scholarship, who is funding it, who is eligible to apply because some of these scholarships that are being offered by scammers lack full details.

Choose your passwords carefully: Choose passwords that would be difficult for others to guess and update them regularly. A strong password should include a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t use the same password for every account/profile, and don’t share your passwords with anyone.

Review your privacy and security settings on social media: If you use social networking sites, such as Facebook, be careful who you connect with and learn how to use your privacy and security settings to ensure you stay safe.  If you recognize suspicious behavior, clicked on spam, or have been scammed online, take steps to secure your account and be sure to report it.

Beware of any requests for your details or money: Never send money or give credit card details, online account details, or copies of personal documents to anyone you don’t know or trust. Don’t agree to transfer money or goods for someone else: money laundering is a criminal offense.

About the Authors: 211 Check is a fact-checking and information verification organization established to counter misinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence, while South Sudan Safety Comm is an online community/platform that provides tools, methodologies and resources on online safety of social media users and digital natives.

Visit 211check.org [web, Facebook and Twitter] or Safety Comm South Sudan [https://safetycomm.org/, Facebook and Twitter] to learn more about fact checking, online safety, information verification, among others.

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DATA REPORT – 146 people killed in June alone, a huge decrease compared to May’s gun-violence reported incidents

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Author: Bida Emmanuel

At least 146 South Sudanese have been killed across the country in June this year due to gun related violence.

June’s death data reveals a huge decrease of citizens killed as a result of gun violence, compared to the month of May, where over 310 people died. 

According to 211 Check data analysis, several sections of the country continue to see violent killings primarily as a result of cattle raids, revenge attacks, road ambushes, and other forms of assaults with guns being the major weapons used during the events. 

Since the beginning of June, 211 Check documented killings through its incident reporting team as published and/or broadcasted by credited mainstream media houses; Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio and Radio Miraya. 

June’s report shows Lakes State as the lead with 85 killings, most of which were due to cattle raids mainly in Rumbek, Yirol and Cueibet areas. 

The second in the map is Eastern Equatoria State with 26 killings caused by revenge attacks and road ambushes in areas of Budi, Chukudum, Ikotos, among other counties. 

Warrap State comes third with 15 killings, where-as both Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria registered 13 killings putting them in the fourth position.

Only seven and two violent deaths were reported in Jonglei and Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal States, while Upper Nile, Unity, and Western Bahr-el-Ghazal States each had one death reported respectively. 

The total of those killed stood at 164. However, there were no reported killings due to gun-violence in any of the three administrative areas, compared to May where Pibor took the lead with over 150 deaths. 

In addition, June witnessed less killings of aid workers, compared to the month of May this year. 

NOTE: This data doesn’t fully bear the actual or complete number of killings across the country, it only bears data reported by the two prominent media houses [Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio and Radio Miraya]. There might be several other deaths recorded by various media houses or those not even reported.

Below is a bar chart bearing the statistics of deaths recorded.

Know your facts!

211 Check is a fact checking and information verification platform established to counter mis/disinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence. To know more about fact checking processes, click: https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/.

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EXPLAINER: Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 if I’m vaccinated?

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Author: The Associated Press (AP)

Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 if I’m vaccinated?

No, you can skip routine testing, with some exceptions.

The latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you don’t need to be tested or to quarantine if you’re fully vaccinated, even if you’ve been exposed to someone who was sick. An exception is if you develop COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and fatigue.

The updated guidance reflects recent studies showing vaccinated people face very little risk of serious disease. Even if you get an infection, you’ll be less likely to spread it to others and any symptoms will likely be milder.

As a result, the CDC says vaccinated people can also be excluded from routine workplace screening, though many companies aren’t tracking employees’ vaccination status. Screening is still recommended for people working or living in homeless shelters or prisons, due to the higher risk of outbreaks.

The relaxed guidelines also don’t apply to doctors, nurses and other health care workers, whose employers might still require testing.

However, guidance may vary by country. For example, U.S. citizens returning from abroad also still have to present a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flights home, regardless of their vaccination status. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should still isolate for 10 days, the CDC says.

As vaccinations increase, many experts expect the CDC to further relax testing guidelines, even for vaccinated people with symptoms. Many common colds and viruses can cause symptoms resembling COVID-19, experts say, which could lead to a wave of unnecessary testing in the fall.

“As we race to open back up, a whole variety of infections that we don’t routinely test for are going to cause those same symptoms,” said Dr. Rebecca Wurtz of the University of Minnesota. “You should wash your hands and stay home from work, but there’s no need to run out to be tested.”

The 211 Check with the help of medical experts is answering your questions about the coronavirus. Submit them at: [email protected]

Radio Miraya misquotes Yei Commissioner, tweeted that Yei airstrip lounge project will cost $600,000

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Author: 211 Check Editorial Team

Intensive investigative findings have revealed that UN radio misquoted Yei Commissioner over the local airstrip construction project.

On Wednesday this week, Radio Miraya tweeted that the construction work of Yei airstrip lounge would cost $600,000.

The below tweet caused uproar on social media, with many South Sudanese netizens criticizing why a small construction project would cost such a huge amount of money. 

The criticisms surfaced intensively on social media when pictures of the airstrip lounge’s foundation work emerged on Facebook and Twitter.

The project also left many online users wanting to know the details of the company contracted by the government to implement such a controversial project. 

Miraya’s misleading tweet

But when fact-checked, it was identified that the lounge construction cost is not worth $600,000, as reported by Radio Miraya.

Yei River County Commissioner, Aggrey Cyrus told Radio Miraya in an interview that the $600,000 included subsequent expansion and upgrade of the Yei airstrip to an airport, not only the pre-boarding facility (waiting lounge).

In addition, Tent Makers International – a religious company contracted by the government, refuted the claims that it was offered $600,000 for the project. It, however, revealed that it is using its own cash to construct a preliminary waiting lounge, as it continues to lobby for huge funds to implement the whole project. 

TMI’s statement over the issue

In a recent fact-check issued by Radio Miraya an hour ago, the media house said the lounge is estimated to cost $30,000 for a space provided to sit 50 air-passengers, according to the Archbishop Evangelical Presbyterian Church – a fact contrary to the first statement which stated that the lounge would accommodate 60 travelers.

Miraya’s Fact Check

DATA – Gun-violence leaves over 310 South Sudanese dead in May Alone

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Author: 211 Check Editorial team

Numerous gun related incidents across South Sudan have left at least 310 civilians killed in the month of May alone.

Last month, 211 Check documented reports of deaths across all the ten states and three administrative areas as published by two mainstream media houses renowned for reporting on crime.

According to data drawn from Radio Tamazuj and Eye Radio, Greater Pibor Administrative Area took the lead of areas with the highest number of deaths occurrences. The area registered 150 cases in May alone.

Pibor is followed by the Upper Nile and Lakes States which recorded 36 and 32 deaths respectively.

Central Equator registered 32 deaths, while Jonglei and Lakes states both recorded 30 deaths altogether. The three States were followed by Eastern Equatoria State and Abyei Administrative Area, with 14 and 11 deaths reported.

Western Equatoria State and Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal recorded the lowest deaths, having documented 5 and 4 deaths respectively.

Credit to Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State and Ruweng Administrative Area zones that did not notice deaths due to attacks. However, it needs to be known that the two areas registered several deaths in the month of April this year.

According to the above death related stories where local authorities were mainly quoted, these killings were mainly as result of inter and intra communal fighting, cattle raiding, road attacks and other forms of gun related assaults.

NOTE: This data doesn’t fully bear the actual or complete number of killings across the country, it only bears data reported by the two prominent media houses [Radio Tamazuj and Eye Radio]. There might be several other deaths recorded by various media houses or those not even reported.

Below is a bar chart bearing the statistics of deaths recorded.

Bar graph showing the data

Know your facts!

211 Check is a fact checking and information verification platform established to counter mis/disinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence. To know more about fact checking processes, click: https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/.

Is the video of a Chinese assaulting an African engineer from South Sudan – report states NO!

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Author: Emmanuel Bida

The current trending video about a one-on-one fight between two men at a construction site didn’t happened in South Sudan as stated, according to 211 Check investigations.

In the past forty-eight hours, there has been a video circulating online, in which a Chinese man is seen attacking an African engineer at what seems to be a construction site.

But is the video from South Sudan? No.

The trending video

In the now/above video trending on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, 211 Check found out that the incident didn’t happened in South Sudan as being claimed by many online users.

The occurrence happened at Tonkolili Iron Ore mine in Sierra Leone, where a Chinese miner reportedly attacked a Sierra Leonean Safety Officer, while was carrying out safety briefing. The reason behind the attack is not clear.

The Chinese Rail Way Seventh Group (CRSG) and Kingho Mining Company limited have both on June 9, 2021 issued press statements condemning the act, saying the conflict was “an expected and isolated case”.

The statement obtained by 211 Check states that the Chinese man has since been relieved of his duty as seen below statement.

Statement

#FactsMatters

Avoid sharing fake fabricated content. To know more about our fact-checking process, click, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you an immediate feedback.