Tanzania issues Ebola alert in regions bordering Uganda

Dar es Salaam. Six days after Uganda declared an Ebola outbreak that has led to 23 deaths as of Yesterday, Tanzania’s health ministry has issued alert in five regions.

The five regions that according to the ministry are on high risk includes Kagera, Mwanza, Mara, Geita and Kigoma.

"We have identified five regions that are most at risk of an Ebola outbreak, the first region is Kagera, and Permanent Secretary is already in the region monitoring the situation, and the preparedness of the region to deal with the Ebola outbreak" health minister, Ummy Mwalimu told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

She added: As we know that buses from Mtukula Uganda end their route in Mwanza so the region is second in the regions that are at high risk of the outbreak, but there is also Kigoma, Geita and Mara,"

However, she said apart from the bordering region, the ministry has also identified that the regions of Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Songwe, Mbeya and Dodoma have airports and large bus terminal that receive passengers from neighboring countries.

The alert also goes to all regions that are not on borders but they should take all precautions against the outbreak.

Ms Ummy directed all regional commissioners to precaution in order to diagnose any early signs, and should they detect any case areas for isolation, treatment area, ambulance and team of health experts should be prepared.

She stressed that although there was no case of Ebola in Tanzania, but urged people to take precautions to prevent an outbreak