Kenya confirms 8 new cases, bringing total to 15

– Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe said the
epicentre of the virus has shifted from China to Europe

– He said all the eight new cases are imported from Europe
and America and the patients’ ages are between 20 for the youngest and the
eldest is 57 years old

– The CS has expressed displeasure on how some Kenyans are
violating measures that have been issued to keep them safe from coronavirus

– He has thus ordered suspending of all international
flights from March 25, banned all church services, funerals (limited to 15
people) and weddings

– All people entering the country will undergo a compulsory
14 days quarantine at a government facility at their own cost

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe has announced
eight more cases of coronavirus in Kenya.

Mutahi Kagwe et al. around each other: All the eight are
imported cases from Europe and America. The ages are between 20 for the
youngest and 57 years for the oldest.

All the eight are imported cases from Europe and America.
The ages are between 20 for the youngest and 57 years for the oldest.

This brings the total to 15 since the first case was
reported in Nairobi on Friday, March 13. Out of the latest eight cases, five
are Kenyans and three are foreign nationals.

All the eight are imported cases from Europe and America.
The ages are between 20 for the youngest and 57 years for the oldest.

“Much to our disappointment, we have noted that the
majority of our people have continued to ignore these measures and are behaving
as if it is business as usual. As I cautioned last week, this disease is not a
joke.

Kenyans must treat this matter with the seriousness it
deserves by adjusting and changing their lifestyles. If we continue to behave
normally, this disease will treat us abnormally. Behaving normally under these
circumstances is akin to having a death wish,” Kagwe said as he spelt out
more stringent rules to ward off the killer infection.

Kagwe said that everyone coming to the country will undergo
compulsory self-quarantine at a government facility at their own cost.

All international flights are suspended effective Wednesday,
March 25 midnight, except cargo flight whose crew must observe strict
guidelines

“Whereas we had allowed Kenyans to come into the
country, we have observed that there are those who are not observing this; we
have therefore decided that all persons who violet self-quarantine would be
forced to quarantine and thereafter arrested and charged,” the CS said.

Slide 1 of 131: A soldier guides passengers arriving from
Turin and Milan by train to Naples Central station while they wait to get their
self-certification documents checked as Italy ramps up measures to slow the
spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Naples, Italy, March 22, 2020.
REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

A soldier guides passengers arriving from Turin and Milan by
train at the Naples Central station as they wait to get their
self-certification documents checked, in Italy on March 22.

This, the CS said, would apply to a senior government
official in Kilifi who refused to self-quarantine even after testing positive
for coronavirus.

Effective midnight today Sunday, March 22, the health CS
said all bars will remain closed until further notice. Restaurants will,
however, remain open but for purposes of takeaway services.

The CS banned all church services, funerals and weddings.

His remarks were echoed by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and
Police Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai who vowed to enforce the new
directives.

“Having noted non-compliance on the part of religious
leaders, govt has suspended all churches, mosques and funeral and other social
gatherings.

Funerals are restricted to 15 immediate family members
only,” said Kagwe who visibly appeared disturbed by citizen’s non
compliance to the directives already issued.