Tanzania experiencing surge in COVID-19 cases - U.S.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

The United States said on Wednesday that Tanzania, whose president has advised citizens to shun coronavirus vaccines, is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and its healthcare facilities could be quickly overwhelmed.

In a statement, the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam said it was “aware of a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases since January”.

“The practice of COVID-19 mitigation and prevention measures remains limited ... healthcare facilities in Tanzania can become quickly overwhelmed in a healthcare crisis.”

Tanzanian leader John Magufuli has said citizens should avoid vaccines and the country does not need a lock-down because God will protect his people.

Homespun precautions such as steam inhalation, he said, were better than dangerous foreign vaccines.

Also READ: Tanzania does not plan to procure Covid-19 vaccine

Early this month, the Tanzania’s Minister of Health, Social Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dorothy Gwajima said the ministry does not have plans of procuring the Covid-19 vaccine which is already in use in other countries.

She urged Tanzanians to improve their personal hygiene and environment by washing their hands using running water and soap, steaming and the use of 'sanitizer'.

"We must improve our personal hygiene, wash hands with running water and soap, use handkerchiefs, herbal steam, exercise, eat nutritious food, drink plenty of water, and natural remedies that our nation is endowed with because we have quite many of these  natural remedies, ”said the minister.

She added: “Through the Chief Government Chemist, the Ministry has been working to inspect a number of natural remedies that have met the safety standards for use, are already in use and they have helped Tanzanians, including me and my family."

Despite anecdotal evidence suggesting a potential resurgence of infections, the country does not have official figures to indicate how widespread it might be, as the health ministry stopped releasing regular updates on COVID statistics last April 2020.

The U.S. embassy did not give figures for the surge in infections but said “limited hospital capacity throughout Tanzania could result in life-threatening delays for emergency medical care”. - Africa