• Making the announcement of Tuesday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the closure will enable people to observe social distancing as directed by the government.
• He said open-air sporting clubs that have the fields including golf clubs are high-risk areas for the contraction of the virus.
The government has ordered the immediate closure of all golf clubs in a bid to tame coronavirus infection in the country.
Making the announcement of Tuesday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the closure will enable people to observe social distancing as directed by the government.
He said open-air sporting clubs that have the fields including golf clubs are high-risk areas for the contraction of the virus.
Kagwe's directive comes on the day Kenya confirmed 14 more coronavirus cases which brings the country's total number to 172 with four fatalities.
12 of the new cases were Kenyans while two are foreign nationals.
"It is necessary that people stay healthy but we must observe social distancing," he said.
However, Kagwe noted that even though golfers will be allowed to walk in the club's premises while keeping social distances, no caddies will be allowed in.
"We have observed in some walking clubs, people are running next to each and there is no better way of passing the virus than in this way," he said.
"Golf clubs have also been abused, consequently, all golf clubs must be closed with immediate effect".
The clubs are the latest to be shut down after the government ordered the immediate closure of all schools, churches, bars and entertainment joints, and all other public gatherings.
Speaking during the daily coronavirus briefing at Afya House on Tuesday, the CS said the 14 additional cases came after the government tested 696 samples in the last 24 hours.
Out of the new 14 cases, seven are from Nairobi, two from Mombasa, two from Mandera while Machakos, Kisii and Kiambu had one case each.