Tanzanian President John Magufuli has said the general elections planned for October, in which he is expected to seek re-election, will go on despite the coronavirus outbreak.

He said there is also no reason for citizens to stop working.

"Work has to go on and that’s why even parliament is moving on with its schedule,” the Citizen newspaper quotes him as saying.

President Magufuli recently said gatherings in churches and mosques have not been banned yet despite a coronavirus outbreak because that's where "there is true healing."

The East African nation has closed all schools, colleges and universities and suspended all sporting events for at least 30 days after the country confirmed its first case on March 16.

The country has so far recorded 13 cases of coronavirus.