Tanzanian President John Magufuli suspended the director of the national health laboratory and ordered an investigation after a goat, sheep and pawpaw (fruit) tested positive for the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
Magufuli said on Sunday the tests were “faulty” after samples from the animals and a piece of fruit came back positive.
“This clearly states that it was likely that some people were being tested positive when in fact they are not infected by the coronavirus,” Magufuli said. “Are we now supposed to quarantine goats and fruits?”
Magufuli also fired the head of the government Medical Stores Department, which oversees distribution of medical supplies and equipment to government hospitals.
The President’s ministry of health sent in the non-human tests, along with false names and ages — without informing the lab technicians of the samples’ origins.
Catherine Sungura, acting head of communications at the ministry of health, said in a statement on Monday the lab director and its quality assurance manager had been immediately suspended “to pave way for the investigation”.
As of Monday, Tanzania has confirmed 480 cases of Covid-19 and 18 deaths, according to REUTERS.
Africa has reported the lowest fatalities and cases of Covid-19 as compared to the United States, which also has many questionable Covid-19-related deaths.
