Tanzania Covid-19 cases double, as Magufuli calls for braveness
The number of people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus in neighbouring Tanzania doubled to 12.
This was announced by Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli on Sunday even as he put on a brave face as the number of Covid-19 cases threaten to spiral in the East African country.
The announcement came only hours after has asked Tanzanians not to be afraid of the novel virus that has so far killed more than 13,000 people across the globe.
Magufuli had, during a service at St Paul’s in Msalaba area of Dodoma, asked Tanzanians to continue with their normal lives to build the nation but observe all measures announced by the state.
He asked the congregation to go back to God and ask for forgiveness to be protected from Covid-19 even as he warned against using social media to spread fake news and share alarming information.
“Watu tusitishane, tunatishana mno. Niwaombe ndugu wakristo na Watanzania kwa ujumla wa Madhehebu yote, huu ndio wakati mzuri sana wa kumtegemea Mungu kuliko wakati wote, tuendelee kuchapa kazi, tuendelee kuujenga uchumi wetu, hatuwezi kusalimu amri kwa ugonjwa huu wa corona na kushindwa kumtegemea Mungu na tukashindwa kuendeleza uchumi wetu,”Magufuli said.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in November in China more than 308,000 people have tested positive and Tanzania confirmed its first case on Monday in the northern town of Arusha.
The patient, a 46-year-old Tanzanian woman, had returned from Belgium on Sunday aboard a RwandAir plane.
Eight of those who tested positive are Tanzanians who traveled abroad and returned to the Country while the remaining four are foreign nationals including a German and an American.