• On Friday, the government suspended all the public gatherings in the country after the first case of coronavirus in Kenya was confirmed.
• According to WHO, the pandemic global death has reached 5,000 while the global number of cases has surpassed 132,000.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Kenyan churches across the country have now put out strict measures for churchgoers to follow to avoid the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
For instance, congregations from Lavington SDA Church will stream services online at their YouTube channel to help reduce the number of members attending church service and help reduce crowds.
"Members are encouraged to attend in-church worship but on a voluntary basis. There will be sanitisation points set up for members to sanitise their hands as they enter the church," the elders' council said in a statement.
Greeting by hand, hugging and also provisions of lunch has been suspended until further notice.
Members worshiping from home are urged to use the church pay bill numbers for their tithes and offering.
On Friday, the government suspended all the public gatherings in the country after the first case of coronavirus in Kenya was confirmed.
In giving Holy Communion to the sick, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked priests to observe high level of hygiene, washing of hands before and after the Holy communion or anointing the sick to avoid any infection.
They also stated that strong measures should be followed especially before carrying out any assistance on the Altar by the servers and any extraordinary minister who comes in contact with the liturgical items or Eucharistic species.
"For the time being, we may be constrained to temporarily remove Holy water from the waterfronts. Christians may carry Holy water for use in the homes and even for personal use as they pray," they said.
In view of the risk posed by handshakes, congregations have as well been advised to wave to one another during the exchange of peace in the daily celebrations of Mass.
"We recognise the desire of many Christians to receive the Eucharist with utmost piety, often on the mouth. We request the faithful to receive the Eucharist on the hand with due reverence,'' they said.
CITAM have said they will provide hand sanitisers in all ministries
"On behalf of our presiding bishop, and the entire CITAM family, we pray for God's protection on the people of Kenya and his continued favor upon our Nation," they said in a tweet.
These measures will continue until the threat of the virus is abated.
According to WHO, the pandemic global death has reached 5,000 while the global number of cases has surpassed to 132,000.
Meanwhile, the virus has spread to at least 18 countries on the African continent, with Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Guinea all confirming their first cases on Friday.