Kenya extends curfew, bans all public gatherings as COVID spikes

Kenya extends nationwide curfew, bans all public gatherings as COVID spikes
Kenya's Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe
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Written by Harry Johnson

The number of infections has been rising daily as politicians, one year away from a general election, host huge rallies across the country.

  • Number of new COVID-19 cases spikes in Kenya.
  • Kenya extends nationwide nighttime curfew.
  • Kenya’s hospitals becoming overwhelmed with new coronavirus cases.

Kenya’s Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe announced today that the East African country is extending a nighttime curfew and banning public gatherings and in-person meetings in attempt to halt the skyrocketing spread of COVID-19.

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Kenya’s Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe

Kenya, in recent days, has witnessed a spike in new COVID-19 cases from the Delta variant, with a positivity rate of 14 percent as of Friday compared with about seven percent last month.

“All public gatherings and in-person meetings of whatever nature are suspended countrywide. In this regard, all government, including intergovernmental meetings and conferences, should henceforth be converted to either virtual or postponed in the coming 30 days,” Kagwe said in a televised address on Friday, warning that the country’s hospitals are becoming overwhelmed.

He said the positivity rate was at risk of rising further unless serious measures were taken.

“We continue to implore all Kenyans, including those who have received their COVID-19 vaccines, not to let their guard down,” Kagwe said after a meeting of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus.

Kenya has been under some form of curfew since March last year when the pandemic first hit, and Kagwe said it will be extended nationwide from 10pm to 4am local time until further notice.

Like many of its neighbors, Kenya took swift action against COVID-19 at the onset of the pandemic, restricting movement and closing borders and schools.

But the number of infections has been rising daily as politicians, one year away from a general election, host huge rallies across the country.

The rollout of vaccines has been slow in Kenya, partly due to the lack of supply.

Kenya has vaccinated 1.7 million people, of whom 647,393, or 2.37 percent of adults, are fully vaccinated.

In total, Kenya has recorded more than 200,000 COVID-19 cases and 3,910 deaths.

warning that hospitals are becoming overwhelmed.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

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