Gov’t restricts movement in and out of Mandera over coronavirus cases

The Government has directed restriction of movement in and out of Mandera after 8 people tested positive for coronavirus this week.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the decision was arrived at following escalation of community based infections and classification of the county as an infected area.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government has chaired a special Session of the National Security Advisory Committee which has sanctioned…that there be cessation of movement by air and road into and out of the county of Mandera for an initial period of 21 days, commencing 7pm today, April 22, 2020,” he said.

Mandera becomes the fifth county to be slapped with movement restrictions.

The other counties are Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.

On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed that a review be conducted on the enforcement of public health measures rolled out to stem the growing rate of infection in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi.

The National Command Centre on the coronavirus pandemic is expected to announce the results of the review within the next 48 hours.

“This is with a view to introducing more stringent measures to enhance the enforcement of the same,” a statement from Interior CS Fred Matiang’i reads.

Kenya has so far confirmed 303 coronavirus patients: 14 deaths and 83 recoveries.