•The government has temporarily banned all conferences of an international nature involving more than 15 members, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said on Friday.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Kenya has imposed a 30-day ban on all conferences of an international nature amid efforts to contain the coronavirus.
Through health CS Mutahi Kagwe, the government said the ban will affect over 15 foreigners who had been scheduled to come to the country.
Speaking to journalists at the Mbagathi hospital on Friday, Kagwe who doubles up as Chairman of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus said the 30-day ban will take effect from March 6.
He said government officials traveling to the affected countries will not be allowed to unless it is crucial.
"If a conference or meeting involves people traveling from Europe, the Middle East or so on, we have asked that you suspend at least for the next 30 days," he said.
The CS said the ban does not affect other conferences and events that are only for Kenyans.
He said the government has temporarily lifted the ban on flights from Italy to allow one empty flight to land in Kenya to evacuate some 800 travelers stranded in Malindi.
He said the foreigners were locked in when the ban on flights to Verona, Milan and Northern Italy was imposed last week.
Mutahi said in the new contaminant plan, his ministry will be sending Coronavirus sensitization and tips to Kenyans through text messages via toll-free Safaricom line.
Citizens outside Kenya will have to dial *265# before roaming their network to receive the free tips on how to protect themselves from Coronavirus infection.
Mutahi's remarks came hours after the Court directed his ministry, that of Interior, transport and foreign affairs to provide a detailed plan on prevention surveillance and response system on Coronavirus.
A Nairobi court has given the government 11 days
High court Judge James Makausaid the details should be made available in 11 days.
The directive came after Lawyers Henry Kurauka and Dudley Ochiel told the court that the government was yet to trace, account, re-examine, confine and quarantine in a KDF facility all the 239 passengers it let into the country aboard a Chinese flight on February 26.
Kurauka who represents two medics who wanted the respective CS's charged for attempted mass murder said the state has partially complied with the orders it issued on Friday last week but more needs to be done.
On Friday last week, Makau suspended all flights from China.