NAIROBI, Kenya May 6 – The government has now declared a cessation of movement in Nairobi’s Eastleigh and Old Town area of Mombasa, following increased cases of COVID-19 since last week.
“There will no movement into and out of Eastleigh and Old Town in Mombasa from 7pm today,” Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said in his briefing on Wednesday when he announced 47 new positive cases, raising the total infections in the country to 582.
“I warned you that cases are increasing and you can see we have more cases,” he said.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said of the new infections, 32 are from Mombasa, 11 in Nairobi, two cases in Busia and one each in Kiambu and Kwale counties.
The increased cases are attributed to the ongoing mass testing across the country and are expected to increase further according to CS Kagwe, with focus on Eastleigh in Nairobi and Old Town in Mombasa- where a cessation of movement has been affected effective 7pm for 15 days.
“The situation in those areas has become of serious concern to us,” the CS said.
The number of recoveries in the country has also risen by eight to 190 with fatality figures jumping to 26, after two people in Mombasa succumbed to the virus at their homes.
Consequently, Kagwe said, markets and eateries in the two areas will remain closed and public transport suspended for the period of the lockdown.
Kagwe further announced that Kenyans placed under government quarantine facilities will not incur any cost with the government committing to foot their bills after people shunned mass testing for fear of associated costs.
“This is to facilitate those who may feel that they do not want to go for testing because of the cost of quarantine that is no longer the case. Kenyans should therefore forthwith not be afraid,” he said.
Those in government quarantine facilities were initially being charged Sh2, 000 daily.
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