Coronavirus cases have spiked to 88 in Tanzania after 35 new cases and one death were registered today.
Tanzania remains one of the few countries in the world that have resisted the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations of total lockdown so as to prevent the spread of the virus.
As a matter of fact, President John Pombe Magufuli has urged his citizens to throng churches and mosques in large numbers, saying the coronavirus pandemic cannot survive and sit in the body of Jesus Christ.
WHO recommends a 2-meter distance between people to avoid inhalation of microscopic droplets of saliva and mucus from one person to another. Many countries around the world have suspended mass gatherings including banning mass prayers in churches and mosques, closing schools, closing airports and markets.
Magufuli's government, however, seems to be starting to feel the pressure as he finally suspended international flights on April 22 until further notice.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) suspended all scheduled and non-scheduled international commercial flights with effect from Saturday with only cargo and emergency flights allowed in and out of the country.
Local operators Air Tanzania and Precision Airlines had already suspended flights ahead of the TCCA announcement. Sweden which has also resisted total lockdown today registered 170 new deaths and 482 new cases. The Swedish government says it expects people to take personal responsibility and social distance while in public.
Kenya's COVID-19 cases rose by 9 new cases to 225 today. Kenya also resisted one new death while Rwanda's cases remain at 134 cases. USA today registered 1,494 deaths and 8216 new cases while the UK registered 761 new deaths and 4603 new cases. Italy registered 578 new deaths and 2667 new cases. Spain registered 324 deaths and 3573 new cases.
South Africa registered 7 new deaths today and 166 new cases while Algeria registered 10 new deaths and 90 new cases. DR Congo's deaths rose to 21 after one new death today and 13 new cases. The global COVID-19 cases rose to 2,043,943 and total deaths 131,333 as of April 15, 2020.
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