Dr Magufuli said the newly-appointed Health ministry permanent secretary, Prof Mabula Mchembe, supervised Covid-19 laboratory testing for samples taken from non-humans – and some of them tested positive. For example, he said, samples taken from a goat, a pawpaw and a quail tested Covid-19-positive – and he suspects a “dirty game” going on in the laboratory.

Tests on a sheep and waste oil showed negative results, while tests on breadfruits had inconclusive results.

“The findings demonstrate that something is wrong somewhere. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a huge task ahead,” he said – adding: “Under normal circumstances, those who tested positive (a goat, a pawpaw and a quail) had to be quarantined.”

The Head of State was speaking from his Chato hometown in Geita Region during the swearing-in of the newly appointed Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister, Mwigulu Nchemba, who replaces Dr Augustine Mahiga who died on Friday, May 1, 2020.