Tanzania: U.S. Embassy in Tanzania Closed Due to Regional Internet Outage

Tanzania: U.S. Embassy in Tanzania Closed Due to Regional Internet Outage

The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania was forced to close its doors to the public for two days due to a widespread internet outage affecting several East African countries, reports BBC News.

The embassy announced the closure via X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday, citing “degraded network service nationwide”. All consular appointments scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date. However, the embassy will remain operational for emergencies involving American citizens and for visa pickups.

The internet disruption began on Sunday morning and caused significant connectivity issues in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. According to internet monitoring group NetBlocks, Tanzania is the most severely impacted country.

Industry experts believe the outage stems from faults in the undersea cables that connect the region to the global network via South Africa. Some East African internet users were still experiencing slow speeds, with telecom providers indicating ongoing efforts to fully restore service.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak – Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response
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Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak – Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response

Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak – Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response

Addis Ababa, January 20, 2025</Strong> — Tanzania has declared a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks the nation’s second encounter with the deadly virus, following the outbreak in Bukoba District of Kagera Region in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.

In response to this urgent threat, the Africa CDC is mobilizing strong support to help Tanzania contain the outbreak. A team of twelve public health experts will be deployed as part of an advance mission in the next 24 hours. The multidisciplinary team includes epidemiologists, risk communication, infection prevention and control (IPC), and laboratory experts to provide on-ground support for surveillance, IPC, diagnostics, and community engagement.

The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, has engaged with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Minister of Health to ensure coordinated efforts and secure political commitment for the response.

“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania in this critical moment. To support the government’s efforts, we are committing US$ 2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management. Building on Tanzania’s commendable response during the 2023 outbreak, we are confident that swift and decisive action, combined with our support and those of other partners, will bring this outbreak under control,” Dr. Kaseya stated.

Africa CDC has recently supported efforts to enhance the diagnostic and sequencing capacity of public health laboratories in Tanzania. PCR Test kits and genomic sequencing reagents have been dispatched, with additional supplies in the pipeline. To ensure rapid identification and confirmation of cases, the institution will also provide technical assistance to strengthen detection and genome sequencing for better characterization of the pathogen. Additionally, support will be provided to improve case management protocols and enhance the capacity to deliver safe and effective treatment.

Africa CDC is committed to working closely with the Government of Tanzania, regional partners, international organizations, and global stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, to stop the spread of the Marburg virus.

Source: allafrica.com

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