Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday announced some new COVID-19 restrictions to combat a surge in the number of infections, reported Reuters.
In a televised address Kenyatta announced some new lockdown measures that include a stricter curfew, suspension of all movement in the capital Nairobi and four other counties, and closing of bars in the capital.
The latest measures come as Kenya’s Covid-19 positivity rate jumped from 2% to 22% between January and March. Nairobi has reported the most number of coronavirus cases, with every six in 10 people testing positive for the virus.
“If you test 100 Kenyans for COVID, 20 would be positive, this compared to January this year when only two would have been positive and this tells us that our rate of infection has gone up 10 times between January and March of 2021,” Kenyatta said.
The Kenyan president said that hospital admissions had increased 52% in the past two weeks and that at least seven people are losing their lives to coronavirus every day.
As part of the new COVID-19 restrictions, no road, rail, or air transport will be permitted in Nairobi, Kajiado, Kiambu, Machakos, and Nakuru. The curfew hours will now begin at 20:00 until 04:00 am in the five Kenyan counties. Special passes that let people go out during curfew hours have also been canceled.
In-person classes at schools, colleges, and universities will remain suspended, except for those sitting exams or people at medical training facilities. The government had reopened schools and colleges in January, which had been closed for ten months. All sporting events are also canceled.
Alcohol sales have been banned and restaurants are only allowed to provide takeaway services.
Kenyatta said the new restrictions will take effect at midnight on Friday and will last until further notice. Furthermore, the cabinet meetings would also not be held in person.
