Tanzania fails to report Ebola cases to WHO

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The government of Tanzania has conceded that it did not send the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical reports of two suspected Ebola cases reported in the country in September.

Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu said they were not under any obligation to do so since the tests were negative.

On 14 September, the minister said there was no confirmed Ebola case in the East African country.

A week later, WHO rebuked the country for failing to provide information about a suspected fatal case in the country's main city, Dar es Salaam.

On Thursday Ms Mwalimu said she was surprised why WHO had issued the statement, arguing that international regulations require a member state to report clinical samples for secondary testing only when the local tests are positive.

She added that a total of 25 cases must be reported for WHO to be informed and Tanzania experienced only two suspected cases in September.

There is growing international pressure for Tanzania to share the samples. The US and UK have both issued travel advisories over the scare.

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