DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has reinforced preparedness and response measures against the COVID-19 outbreak, Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Seniors and Children Ummy Mwalimu said here on Saturday.
No Tanzanian has been infected by the virus so far, Mwalimu told a news conference. But she urged citizens to continue taking precautionary measures.
The minister said measures taken by the government of Tanzania to control the outbreak of the virus included screening people in ports, airports and borders.
Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 27, a total of 11,048 people arriving in Tanzania from countries infected by the virus have been screened at entry points, Mwalimu said.
She said her ministry has 125 hand-held thermo scanners and 15 walk-through thermo scanners installed at border posts, ports and airports in the country and the government has employed 100 health workers to reinforce the monitoring of people arriving in the country from overseas.
The ministry has also prepared medicines, medical facilities and sanitizers in case they are needed for treatment and the government has strengthened examination capacities in labs and results can be produced within four to six hours, she said.
The Tanzanian government will continue to work closely with various stakeholders in the health sector, including the World Health Organization, she added.
