Tanzanian Minister for Health Ummy Mwalimu on Friday said the east African nation was on the highest alert after reports of fresh outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Xinhua reports.
"People could be at risk of the deadly Ebola disease owing to interaction with those of neighbouring DRC," Mwalimu said in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
She added: "Tanzanians need to take the highest precaution in order to prevent contracting the disease."
According to her, the ministry had put the people on high alert, particularly those living in regions bordering the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda.
Regions on high alert were Mwanza, Kagera, Kigoma, Katavi, Rukwa and Songwe.
"Precautionary measures need to be taken at all border posts when interacting with passengers who get in and out of the country," she said.
The minister said there were currently no cases of Ebola in Tanzania since the discovery of a patient suffering from the disease in North-Western Kivu province in the DRC bordering with Uganda and Rwanda.
Last week, DRC's Ministry of Public Health announced the second outbreak of Ebola. A total of 44 cases have been reported so far, 17 of which have been confirmed.
Following the outbreak, the Congolese government launched an Ebola vaccination drive for high risk populations in North-Western Kivu province.
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness, in humans. Its symptoms become increasingly severe and may include nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea (may be bloody), red eyes, raised rash, chest pain and cough, sore throat, stomach pain and severe weight loss.