The virus and its more contagious variants are spreading in the Kenyan regions bordering Lake Victoria and in Uganda, so the Kenyan government has decided that from today there will be new restrictions in 13 counties of the country, those occupying the western part of the country.
In the counties of Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Kericho, Bomet, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori, the curfew will be brought forward to 7pm until 4am, on the orders of Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe and as predicted two days ago by Home Affairs Minister Fred Matiang'i.
In his official statement, he declared the 13 counties as Covid-19 high risk areas, both individually and collectively.
For this reason, the entire region encompassing these counties has been considered a single zone whose borders will be closed to the outside world. A kind of lockdown with exceptions for workers in transport, trade and other sectors vital to the economy and security.
Except for essential and emergency services, movement between the outbreak zone and the rest of the country is strongly discouraged," the minister announced. "All drivers of vehicles wishing to leave the lockdown zone will have to submit a negative Covid-19 test conducted no more than 48 hours before starting their journey, and in any case each vehicle will not be allowed to carry more than two people.
Other measures implemented for the 13 counties include the closure of weekly non-food and livestock markets for 30 days, a ban on all public gatherings and personal gatherings of any kind, including house parties and sports activities, ceremonies and all-night vigils, while funerals must be conducted within 72 hours of death and with a maximum of 50 people, while for weddings and traditional rites the number of participants is reduced to 30, as well as for all forms of physical/congregational worship (churches, mosques, temples and shrines) for the next month.
All employers, including the public and private sectors, government offices, businesses and companies in the hotspot zone are asked to allow employees to work from home, with the exception of employees working in critical or essential services. In hospitals, the number of visitors per patient will be limited to one at a time.