Questions were raised over the authenticity of results of coronavirus test conducted using the testing kits, after a goat and pawpaw (papaya) tested positive for the fatal virus in Tanzania.
The east African has so far recorded 408 confirmed cases and 16 deaths due to the global pandemic. Since the outbreak of the virus, 167 cases have also recovered.
Tanzanian President orders investigation into the imported test kits
To check the quality and authenticity of the coronavirus testing kits imported from abroad, the Tanzanian security forces were secretly asked to collect random samples from non-humans. The non-human samples from a goat, papaya and a sheep were submitted to the lab with human names and age. The lab technicians had no clue that the samples being tested were non-human.
Daily Post reported that while addressing a gathering at Chato, located in the northwest part of Tanzania, Tanzanian President, John Magufuli said that the COVID-19 testing kits, which had been imported from abroad had "technical errors".
"The samples from the pawpaw and the goat tested positive for COVID-19. This clearly states that it was likely that some people were being tested positive when in fact they were not infected by the Coronavirus. Are we now supposed to quarantine goats and fruits? If a sample from a goat, which turned positive it means that something is not adding up," said the President.
President suspects wrongdoing at the laboratory
Perturbed over the shocking results, the Tanzanian President ordered a probe into the matter. "There is something happening. I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation," he went on to add.
The President further said that he had secretly ordered a variety of animals, fruits and vehicle oil to be tested at the laboratory to rule out any sabotage in the testing process.
Suspecting a 'dirty game' in the laboratory, Magufuli said: "That means there is possibility for technical errors or these imported reagents have issues. Probably, the technicians are also bought to mislead."
Magufuli told his newly appointed Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Mwigulu Nchemba, to go and investigate if there is criminal possibility at the national laboratory and take action.
Tanzanian government criticized for being 'secretive'
Ever since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country, the Tanzanian government has been facing public ire for being secretive about coronavirus.
Last month, three MPs died in Tanzania within a span of 11 days. The government did not reveal the cause of their deaths. The country is still to announce the stringent measures, including lockdown and social distancing, being adopted the world over to tackle the pandemic. According to Daily Monitor, even though the educational institutions have been shut down, markets, bus stops and shops are far away from being shut or following social distancing norms.
According to the publication, on Sunday, the President criticised a Muslim leader who had shut down the mosque located in Dar es Salaam as a precautionary measure. "It's strange to stop believers from entering a mosque which they built themselves. If you fear going there, let others go and pray. By the way, we are still in the elementary stage of coronavirus," he said.
Magufuli revealed that the country is in the process of procuring a potion from Madagascar which is claimed to cure COVID-19 patients within 10 days.
