Still no details from Tanzania on its Covid-19 response: WHO chief

The pinnacle of the World Well being Group urged Tanzania on Sunday to share info on its measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying the authorities there had repeatedly ignored his requests.

President John Magufuli's sceptical strategy in the direction of Covid-19 has precipitated alarm amongst WHO officers. A authorities spokesman instructed Reuters on Feb.12 that Tanzania had "controlled" the outbreak, nevertheless it stopped reporting new coronavirus infections and deaths in Might final yr. On the time it had registered 509 circumstances and 21 deaths.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned on Sunday that Tanzanians testing constructive for Covid-19 overseas underscored "the need for Tanzania to take robust action both to safeguard their own people and protect populations in these countries and beyond."

Tedros additionally repeated a name he made with Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Africa head, in late January for Tanzania to bolster public well being measures in opposition to Covid-19 and put together to distribute vaccines.

He added that since then he had spoken with a number of authorities there to no avail.

"This situation remains very concerning. I renew my call for Tanzania to start reporting Covid-19 cases and share data," Tedros mentioned in an announcement on WHO's web site.

Tanzania authorities spokesman Hassan Abbasi didn't reply to a Reuters message in search of touch upon Tedros' remarks.

In an announcement in a while Sunday, Magufuli's workplace mentioned the president wished Tanzanians to comply with measures to guard themselves in opposition to coronavirus. Nonetheless, it additionally mentioned that:

"Magufuli wants Tanzanians to ... trust and put God first, given that wearing masks, social distancing and lockdowns have been seen to be insufficient as countries that implemented them have lost thousands compared to Tanzania."

Magufuli attended a funeral service on Friday for a senior official in his workplace whose reason behind loss of life was not made public, and declared three days of nationwide prayer.

On Sunday, Magufuli mentioned Tanzanians ought to put on solely use locally-made face masks, saying foreign-made ones could also be unsafe.

On Monday, Oman's well being minister mentioned his nation was contemplating suspending flights from Tanzania, after 18% of travellers arriving from Tanzania examined constructive for Covid-19.

Thailand reported on Monday its first case of the extremely contagious Covid-19 variant first recognized in South Africa, in a Thai man who arrived from Tanzania.