Tanzania: New president issues Covid-19 restrictions
Tanzania’s new president Samia Suluhu Hassan announced new measures to restrict the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
Under the new measures, people travelling to Tanzania must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before arriving in the country. Travellers arriving from countries with high infection rates will also need to pay for rapid tests upon arrival while those having visited countries with “new COVID-19 variants” will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine at their own expense.
Tanzania implements new Covid-19 measures
The restrictions implemented by President Hassan are some of the most stringent moves taken by Tanzania since the start of the pandemic. Her predecessor, John Magufuli, was one of Africa’s biggest Covid-19 deniers who drew international criticism for refusing to implement measures and urged citizens to avoid wearing masks and accepting vaccinations.
Magufuli vanished from public appearance in late February following a series of deaths among government officials who died from respiratory conditions. Tanzania announced Magufuli’s death in mid-March with the official cause of death linked to heart conditions while political opponents suggest he died from complications after contracting Covid-19.
Without a testing system in place, the extent of Tanzania’s Covid-19 outbreak is a mystery but the high-profile deaths among government figures raise fears that the country could be fighting an invisible epidemic.
Shortly after stepping into office, President Hassan announced that her government would take proactive measures in dealing with Covid-19.
Featured image: By Gospel Kitaa – Kuagwa kwa Miili Lucky Vincent-183, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101744564
