Kenyans could be in for longer curfew hours

The government is seriously considering extending curfew hours in stiffer measures to contain the CoviD-19 spread, the Star has established.

Top government officials have told the Star a proposal to increase curfew hours is on the table while the option of total lockdown is being studied.

On Thursday, the government announced 29 new infections and two deaths, the biggest numbers since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed on March 13.

Community spread is the cause of between 27 per cent to 36 per cent of Covid-19 cases, according to the Ministry of Health director-general Dr Patrick Amoth.

"Out of the 110 cases in the country, about 30 or 40 are cases of local transmission with no history of travel or direct contact with a Covid-19 patient," he said on Thursday.

A highly placed sourced in the multi-agency team handling the pandemic said it was only a matter of time before the stringent measures were announced to ensure people stayed at home to avoid spread of the disease.

In the proposal, the new curfew hours will start from 4pm to 8am, from the current 7pm-5am announced a week ago by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“The announcement was to come as early as Thursday. However, it was decided they wait for today's (Friday) results of tests. They are prepared for the positive cases to double between today and Sunday,” the source said.

The government is very concerned about the rising cases and the fact that Kenyans are still moving from one part of the country to another, a trend that might soar during Easter holidays

On Thursday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe during his daily briefing hinted at more stringent measures to keep Kenyans at home to avert plunging the country into a crisis.

“Arising from the trends, the government is considering announcing stiffer measures to deal with the disease. But as of now, I urge you to take extreme precautionary measures wherever you are by observing the highest standard of hygiene, social distancing, as well as any other measures the government has announced,” Kagwe said.

“It is important to note that this virus does not move by itself. It is moved by you and I. We must change our behavior and attitude if we have to cut the transmission of the virus.”

Edited by Henry Makori