The government has reviewed COVID-19 containment measures in 13 counties within the Lake Basin region following a spike in the infection rate in the area.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the dusk-to-dawn curfew shall begin at 7pm and end at 4am in the counties of Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Kericho, Bomet, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori. This takes effect from Friday, June 18, 2021 until further notice.
The CS said the 13 counties have been declared a COVID-19 hotspot zone after registering a positivity rate of 21% against a national average of 9% over the last 14 days.
“Over the last 14 days infections in the Counties of Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Bungoma, Kericho, Bomet, Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori constituted 60% of the national caseload,” noted the CS.
Movement in and out of the region will remain restricted unless for emergency and essential purposes.
“Except for essential and emergency services, movement between the hotspot Zone and the rest of the country is strongly discouraged,” reads the statement.
All forms of physical gatherings including at places of worship in the 13 counties have also been suspended for a period of 30 days.
The government has also suspended the weekly non-food and livestock markets in the Hotspot Zone for a period of 30 days.
It has further been ordered that all funerals and interment ceremonies within the Hotspot Zone be conducted within 72 hours of confirmation
of death.
The attendees for funerals within the Hotspot Zone have been capped to a maximum of 50 persons while only a maximum of 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings and any other traditional ceremonies.
“That the attendees, officiators, and facilitators of weddings, celebrations of marriage or traditional unions, ceremonies of rites of passage, and all other similar events or ceremonies is maintained at 30 persons in total until further notice,” read the statement.
According to the Ministry of Health, the surge of infections in the 13 counties has been triggered by their proximity to the neighbouring country Uganda which has similarly reported a surge of COVID-19 infections.
The government has thus directed that all cross-border cargo drivers must possess a valid certificate indicating a negative COVID-19 test that was
conducted no more than 48 hours before commencing their journey, and each cargo truck shall be limited to only 2 persons per vehicle.
Meanwhile, the containment measures remain unchanged in the rest of the country.
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