Tanzania has convened a national prayer day to seek divine intervention over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This after 84 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Monday raising the tally to 254, the biggest number recorded in a day in the East African countries.
The country also confirmed three COVID-19 related deaths bringing the total number of fatalities to 10.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced that the interdenominational prayers will be conducted on Wednesday at Karimjee grounds in Dar Es Salaam from 9am.
The country’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa will lead the nation in the prayers that the Health Ministry said will be a continuation of the three-day national prayer period that had been announced by President John Pombe Magufuli.
Read: Covid-19 Cases In Tanzania Balloon To 254 After 84 New Cases Were Recorded In the Last 24 Hours
Magufuli had on Thursday asked citizens to dedicate the nation in prayers from 17-19 April, 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 disease that has infected over 2 million people worldwide and killed at least 170,000 others.
As part of measures to contain the spread of the contagious disease, the country’s Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu said only a few leaders will attend the Wednesday prayers with the general public following from home as the session will be aired live on local televisions and other mediums.
The latest comes at a time the world continues to condemn Magufuli for defying safety measures such as social distancing as outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Magufuli refused to close churches last month despite calls from medical experts from all quarters. This many believe may have contributed to the spread of the contagious disease in the country.
Instead, the Head of State termed worship centres as places where people could seek healing.
Read Also: “Pray But Don’t Be Ignorant”, Tanzanians Told As 53 New Cases Of COVID-19 Reported In 24 Hours
Speaking at a Sunday service in the country, Magufuli said the virus is “satanic” adding that there is no way it could thrive in ‘Christ’s Body’.
“Corona cannot survive in the body of Christ; it will burn. That is exactly why I did not panic while taking the Holy Communion,” said Magufuli.
The President, however, ordered the closure of schools and banned public events to prevent the spread of the contagious disease just like neighbouring countries, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
He also ordered mandatory quarantining of individuals arriving from foreign nationals as borders remain open.
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