The Kenyan government has declared the west of the country, including the border with Uganda, a Covid-19 hotspot and restricted movements and gatherings.
A surge of infections, especially in the lakeside city of Kisumu and nearby towns, has raised the infection rate in the region to 21% compared to a national average of 9%.
The ministry of health has said that beginning on Friday all but essential travel between, into and out of 13 counties in western Kenya will be “strongly discouraged”.
A curfew in those zones will begin at 19:00 (local time) compared to the rest of the country, which stays at 22:00 and ends at 04:00.
All public gatherings, including sporting activities and house parties, have also been banned, while physical forms of worship are suspended for 30 days.
On 1 June, President Uhuru Kenyatta celebrated a national holiday in Kisumu, in a ceremony attended by thousands of people.
Medics had questioned the wisdom of allowing the event to proceed when Kisumu’s largest referral hospital had already reported a fully occupied Covid-19 isolation facility, and infection rates were up.
Kenya has recorded just over 3,400 Covid-19 deaths.
