Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday extended the nationwide dusk-dawn curfew for another 30 days in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, reported Reuters. The curfew extension comes as coronavirus cases have been increasing in areas outside the capital.
In a televised address, President Kenyatta said the number of coronavirus infections in the country is currently at a manageable level and the country had a chance to reach the 5 percent positivity rate recommended by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) for total re-opening.
“We note the good progress we have made so far in fighting this enemy, but, this positive news is no license for us to drop guard and backslide from our path of responsibility,” he said.
The Kenyan president also announced a number of other measures. Bars and nightclubs will remain closed for an additional 30 days. However, the ban on the sale of alcohol by licensed hotels with residence has been lifted.
“In the next 30 days, bar owners, in consultation with the Ministry of Health will develop self-regulating mechanisms as part of their civic responsibility to their clientele, in order to allow their resumption,” Kenyatta said.
The Kenyan government has, however, increased the number of people allowed to attend weddings, funerals and other events. While there is still a ban on mass gatherings, the number of people attending funerals and weddings was increased from 15 to 100 subject to observance of health protocols by the Ministry of Health.
President Kenyatta pointed out a couple of challenges that still remain in place including the spread of the virus to the rest of the counties and rural areas and the slow pace of expansion of the health sector architecture.
Kenya has so far reported 33,016 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 564 deaths, and 19,296 recoveries. The outbreak has hit the Kenyan economy, with the finance ministry projecting growth to slow down to 2.5% this year from 5.4% last year.
