As the number of new coronavirus infections reaches 53, the government of Tanzania has ordered schools to stay closed indefinitely, evidence of the uncertainty that haunts these murky coronavirus times.
It is the crowded commercial port city of Dar es Salaam that is most affected, in fact all the 53 new Covid-19 reported cases are in the city of 6 million plus people.
There are 4 new cases since the last new infection was reported on Monday making it 4 new cases in just 3 days, that is a rate of almost one new infection per day this week.
The development comes inspight of all precautionary measures that the city has taken including having hand sanitizers in every store, government office, market place and even public transport vehicles.
Union & Labour Day cancelled days from annual celebrations
With the exponential increase in rate of infections, and the spicy Islands of Zanzibar also reporting new cases, the government of Tanzania has also decided to put off this year’s Union day celebrations.
The annual Union Day celebrations are customarily held on April 26 as a nation commemoration of the day when Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form the current United Republic of Tanzania.
If held, this year’s celebrations would have marked the 56th year since the union between the two countries. President
Right along with the cancellation of Union Day celebrations, the government of Tanzania has also gone ahead and cancelled Labour Day or more commonly known as May Day celebrations which are held every 1st of May to honour workers’ contribution to the economy.
It only makes sense to put off these large national gatherings that would have otherwise brought millions in tight stadium spaces making transmission all too easy, especially now that the infections have become communal not imported.
Other banned public gatherings
Even though its election year, Tanzania has gone ahead and taken other stringent measures including putting off all political gatherings and rallies, and sports activities even the much favoured soccer derbies.
Instead of the celebrations, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has diverted the Sh500 million that would otherwise fund the Union Day celebrations to be channeled to Zanzibar’s Covid-19 Special Fund.
On its side, Zanzibar has announced that three more patients have tested positive of Covid-19 bringing the total number of infections to 12.
The Health Minister there, Honourable Hamad Rashid Mohammed said these new cases are all internal, the victims have no known recent travel histories. This means that the spread of the virus has now become communal, it is no longer a disease that is carried into the country, rather it is spreading within the community.
On the positive side of things, the government of Zanzibar, much to everyone’s relief, has announced that at least two patients who were under medical scrutiny and treatment at have recovered and have been discharged back into the community. A much needed hopeful sign on the Isles capacity to handle the coronavirus cases it has been dealt with.
