Head Quarters
Mbamba Bay Katumbi Street, Plot No. 24
P.O.Box 90 Nyasa, Ruvuma, Tanzania
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Songwe Sub-Office:
Tunduma, P.O. Box 159, Momba – Tanzania
A fresh foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) flare-up in South Africa’s Eastern Cape has triggered livestock movement restrictions until 23 January 2026. This outbreak is a reminder that FMD in Africa is largely driven by animal movement—something also shown by Tanzania’s molecular evidence (1967–2009), where multiple serotypes were genetically linked to East African lineages, underscoring the need for One Health surveillance and coordinated regional control
A multidisciplinary research team has identified a previously unknown mosquito within the Anopheles gambiae complex along the coastal regions of Tanzania and Kenya. The mosquito, provisionally named the Pwani molecular form, is genetically distinct and exhibits a unique insecticide resistance profile that differs from known malaria vectors. Led in part by Sophia Mwinyi, the study highlights critical gaps in current malaria vector surveillance and raises concerns about the effectiveness of existing control strategies. The findings underscore the importance of genomic surveillance, integrated research approaches, and stakeholder engagement to address emerging and cryptic threats to malaria control in endemic regions.
A health alert has been issued in Mexico following an increase in New World screwworm cases affecting pets and livestock. Authorities emphasize early detection, wound management, and prompt veterinary care to prevent severe complications.
Disease intelligence reports released in mid to late December 2025 by ProMED reveal a complex and evolving outbreak landscape across the African region, marked by simultaneous increases in waterborne, vaccine-preventable, respiratory, vector-borne, and zoonotic diseases. Multiple cholera outbreaks, some with reported fatalities, have been documented in the Democratic Republic of Congo (including Kinshasa and Lomami Province), Malawi (Lilongwe and Balaka districts), and Burundi, particularly affecting densely populated urban settings and refugee camps—highlighting persistent gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure. At the same time, measles outbreaks with fatal cases have been reported in Angola and Uganda, signaling ongoing immunization coverage challenges among school-age populations. Additional alerts include rising Influenza A (H3N2) incidence in Algeria, increased malaria transmission with deaths in Sudan, and continued circulation of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Angola, alongside confirmed diphtheria outbreaks in Somalia where vaccination campaigns are underway. High-fatality zoonotic threats such as Lassa fever in Nigeria and rabies cases among seals in Namibia further underscore the importance of a One Health approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Collectively, these outbreaks demonstrate heightened regional vulnerability driven by population movement, climate variability, strained health systems, and surveillance gaps, reinforcing the urgent need for strengthened cross-border disease monitoring, timely risk communication, and community-based prevention strategies. In response, Southern Highlands Community Health (SOHICOHE) continues to prioritize preventive health education, early warning awareness, and behavior-change interventions—particularly through School Health Clubs—as a sustainable platform to enhance preparedness, promote hygiene and vaccination uptake, and reduce the risk of disease spread at community and regional levels.
The Ministry of Health, through the Epidemiology Section, has released the Week 51 surveillance report confirming no detected cases of Influenza or COVID-19 across sentinel surveillance sites in Tanzania. SOHICOHE shares this update as part of its public health information dissemination.
