Tanzania summoned a US envoy in the country to clarify a recent warning about the risk of “exponential growth” of Covid-19 cases in the country.

The US embassy said that hospitals in the main city, Dar es Salaam, were “overwhelmed” and that the chance of contracting the virus was “extremely high”.

At a time when official coronavirus updates were scarce in the country, the US embassy’s advisory triggered huge interest from the public.

It also stirred some controversy, as it did not provide evidence for its claims.

Permanent secretary to the foreign affairs ministry, Wilbert Ibuge, told US diplomat Inmi Patterson, that the embassy’s advisory contained false information and risked causing panic among Tanzanians and visitors.

Mr Ibuge also reminded the American about the importance of issuing verified information.