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Tanzania

Destination photograph: Tanzania
Ngorongoro 2012 05 29 2253 (7500941860).jpg · Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Displayed at a reduced size; no image edits.
AI-generated landscape illustration inspired by Tanzania
AI-generated illustration inspired by Tanzania.

Tanzania: recent disease outbreaks

Sources checked

Recent reports

New national travel screening and entry requirements (Travel Advisory No.18, 17 Oct 2026)

The Tanzania Ministry of Health issued Travel Advisory No.18 on 17 October 2026, expanding entry screening because of Ebola virus disease activity in the region. The advisory requires all incoming travellers to complete an online Traveller’s Health Surveillance Form before departure or on arrival and subjects arrivals at airports, land borders and seaports to health screening including temperature checks; travellers classified as high-risk will receive mandatory daily follow-up for 21 days. This is an active, country-level public‑health measure that applies to all travellers arriving in mainland Tanzania and may affect arrival procedures and onward travel. Tanzania Ministry of Health — Travel Advisory No.18 (17 Oct 2026).

Cholera: ongoing reports and local prevention work (data to 30 Aug 2026; preparedness Sep 2026)

WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record included Tanzania among countries reporting cholera and acute watery diarrhoea cases in 2026 (113 cases, 1–30 Aug 2026 reporting period on the WER table). WHO and regional partners have also been supporting local cholera prevention and vaccination preparedness in high‑risk lakeshore and border areas. For travellers, this means a continuing risk of locally active cholera transmission in affected communities and that precautions around food, water and hand hygiene remain important; some authorities (including CDC) describe active cholera transmission in parts of Tanzania and advise usual cholera-prevention measures for travellers. WHO WER (Cholera data, 30 Aug 2026) CDC travel page: Tanzania (cholera guidance).

Dengue: higher-than-previous-year case counts reported in 2026 (data to Aug 2026)

WHO’s global dengue update (data through end‑August 2026) lists the United Republic of Tanzania among African countries with increased dengue reports for January–August 2026 compared with earlier years (WHO table shows Tanzania with higher cumulative totals in 2026). Dengue is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and can cause febrile illness that sometimes requires hospital care; travellers to urban and peri‑urban areas should expect ongoing seasonal mosquito‑borne transmission and follow mosquito‑bite prevention advice. WHO WER (Global dengue update, data to Aug 2026).

Poliovirus (vaccine‑derived): environmental detection and immunization response

Public health authorities have detected vaccine‑derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) in environmental samples in the Lake Zone in the recent past, prompting subnational vaccination activities aimed at boosting immunity among children in affected regions. U.S. CDC travel information for Tanzania (updated Sept 23, 2026) flags that poliovirus has been identified in the past year and advises travellers to ensure routine polio vaccination is up to date; some countries and responding programmes may implement targeted vaccination or surveillance at borders and in high‑risk districts. WHO AFRO — Tanzania subnational polio vaccination campaign (Mar 24, 2026) CDC travel page: Tanzania (polio notice, updated 23 Sep 2026).

Border-region preparedness for Bundibugyo virus disease (Kigoma) and cross‑border risks

WHO’s African regional office reported on 23 September 2026 that Kigoma Region (western Tanzania, bordering the DRC) has used social and behavioural assessments to strengthen community engagement, cholera prevention and readiness for Bundibugyo virus disease (a form of Ebola virus disease) because of cross‑border risk from outbreaks in neighbouring countries. This report describes preparedness and community‑level gaps (water, handwashing, care‑seeking) rather than confirmed human cases in Tanzania; however, it underlines why border surveillance and the travel screening measures above were intensified and why travellers crossing land borders in this area should expect heightened public‑health checks. WHO AFRO — Kigoma preparedness (23 Sep 2026).

These reports provide a dated snapshot of events and official measures as of 27 October 2026; conditions and entry procedures can change rapidly. Check your airline, the Tanzania Ministry of Health and national travel‑health advice (for example the U.S. CDC country page) close to departure for up‑to‑date guidance. CDC — Tanzania travel information.