The president of Tanzania, John Magufuli has said that his country will not close places of worship because the novel coronavirus cannot survive in the body of Jesus.

President Magufuli told the believers that Churches will not be shutdown because Coronavirus “is a devil tool against us and the only place to fight it is Church”.

Magufuli also urged citizens to be strong and believe in God because God is greater than Covid-19.

Magufuli who has a PhD in chemistry from The University of Dar es Salaam (2009) described the virus as the “devil”.He said:

“WE ARE NOT CLOSING PLACES OF WORSHIP. THAT’S WHERE THERE IS TRUE HEALING. CORONA IS THE DEVIL AND IT CANNOT SURVIVE IN THE BODY OF JESUS.”

Scientists are however yet to tell the origins of the virus which emerged in China in December 2019. The virus has since been declared a pandemic and so far killed over 10 000 people globally and infected over 200 000 people.