Kongowea market, the largest in Mombasa, has been closed in stringent measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
The shutdown of the wholesale section will be done over the next two days and the facility will remained closed for at least 30 days.
However, wholesalers have been directed to operate from satellite open0-air markets across the county including Majengo market, Markiti and Likoni.
The announcement was made Thursday evening by the County Emergency Response on COVID-19 Committee after a meeting.
This has raised concerns about the availability of food, with residents forced into panic stocking of cereals and other items.
Congregational prayer gatherings have also been suspended for the next two weeks.
This will affect churches, mosques and temples which have effectively been shut down.
Prayers will have to be conducted at home by family members.
Further, all bars, playgrounds, gyms, movie theatres, liquor dens, play stations and video cafes and massage parlours have been ordered closed.
No timelines have been provided for these.
Hair salons and barbershops were spared but are encouraged to maintain high standards of hygiene.
“These should use appropriate protective gear including gloves and masks. They should further ensure that not more than five people congregate at the premises at any given time,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee directed that hand sanitisers be provided in all places where money is handled including M-Pesa shops and ATMs.
“All bus companies to clean and disinfect the buses after every trip and to provide thermo-guns for screening all passengers before boarding,” the committee said.
On Thursday, the committee came up with its first measures which included banning nightclubs for 30 days, mandatory provision of sanitisers, soap and water in all public offices and restriction of visits to hospitals to two family members per patient.
However, the visit to patients has further been reduced to one. “Minimise visits to all offices,” the new guidelines read.
Edited by Henry Makori
