US to evacuate citizens out of Tanzania on Tuesday

Dar es Salaam. The US Department of State has said it is working with the government of Tanzania to organize a repatriation flight for American Citizens based Tanzania amid Covid-19 pandemic threat across the globe.

The arrangement also involves lawful residents of US to depart Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for the US on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, US embassy in Tanzania press information officer Benjamin Ellis said it was part of the unprecedented efforts of the US to bring its people home from all across the globe, including from remote locations and destinations with strict quarantine orders and travel restrictions.

“The Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas. We are rising to meet the historic challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, every day, all over the world,” said Mr Ellis.

He revealed that the Department of State has repatriated, or helped to repatriate, over 64,000 US citizens from over 100 countries so far.

“We are closely monitoring the conditions in Tanzania, and we are working with the government of Tanzania to organize a repatriation flight for American citizens here in Tanzania,” he said.

He called upon all US citizens abroad to register through the Smart Traveller Enrolment Programme and to monitor the relevant US embassy website to ensure they receive the most up-to-date information.

Earlier, the Department had also issued a global level 4 health advisory to US citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Tanzania has since suspended all the international flights in efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.

As of Friday, April 17 Tanzania had recorded 53 new cases of the novel coronavirus infection bringing the total number of patients that have tested positive to 147.

This is according to the announcement by the Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu in a daily briefing on the Covid-19 development where she also disclosed that the country had recorded another death bringing the total number of deaths so far due to the virus to five.

According to the World Health Organisation surveillance data as of April, 17, 2020, the US total confirmed new cases were 28,711 with total confirmed new deaths being 2,350 in 24 hours.