Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said the East African nation is being hit by a third wave of coronavirus.

“Prevention is better than cure; let’s not stop using anything that may protect us from the pandemic to avoid mass death,” she said after a meeting with Catholic bishops in the main city of Dar es Salaam.

Since taking office in March this year, following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli – one of Africa’s most prominent coronavirus sceptics – President Samia has been at the forefront of addressing the pandemic.

In April she formed a committee of experts to advise her government on the measures they needed to take deal with coronavirus.

Early this month, she also allowed the importation of vaccines for international organizations and embassies in the country.