NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 26 – The government has shut down bars in Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu and Nakuru Counties beginning midnight, until further notice, as part of measures aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19, which has witnessed a spike in the last few weeks.
Similarly, the sale of alcohol in restaurants and eateries in the five counties has also been prohibited, until further notice.
The president has also directed restaurants and eateries to only provide take-away services only, hence suspending in person dining, until further notice.
The operation of bars, restaurants and eateries in the other 42 counties shall however continue, but under strict adherence to measures set out by the government to combat the spread of the virus.
“The operations of bars, restaurants, and eateries in the other forty-two (42) Counties shall continue as is, but they shall at all times be conducted in strict fidelity to Ministry of Health Guidelines, failure to which appropriate action against management, staff, patrons, and premises shall be taken,” Kenyatta said.
Kenyatta was speaking from State House Nairobi when he declared cessation of movement in and out of Counties of the five counties until further notice.
The president said that the five counties now account for 70 percent of the total recorded cases in the country, thus stringent measures ought to be taken.
The measures come at a time when Kenya is battling the third wave of the virus.
The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in January 2021 was 4,380; this has now shot to 15,916 confirmed cases by 21st March 2021.
At the end of January 2021, our COVID-19 positivity rate stood at 2.6 percent. By Monday 22nd March 2021, the positivity rate had jumped to 19 percent; and indications by our experts is that the positivity rate is now settling at 22 percent.
