Kenya cordons off capital, virus-hit cities for 21 days

NAIROBI: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday imposed a three-week ban on movement in and out of four main coronavirus "infected areas", including the capital Nairobi, ahead of the usually busy Easter weekend.

Kenyatta stopped short of a full lockdown within these areas, but warned "we must be ready to go even further if necessary" in a televised address to the nation. He ordered "cessation of all movement by road, rail or air in and out of" Nairobi, and the coastal towns of Kilifi and Kwale and the country´s second largest city of Mombasa for 21 days, starting from Monday at 7pm (1600 GMT). "The movement of food supplies and other cargo will continue as normal during the declared containment period through road, railway and air," he said.

Kenya currently counts 158 cases and six deaths from the virus, most of them in the capital, with a few cases also along the coast. It is the second worst-hit nation in eastern Africa after Mauritius which has 227 cases.

Kenya country has already imposed a 7pm-5am curfew in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. After several incidents of police brutality in implementing the curfew, Kenyatta urged law enforcement officers to be "mindful and sensitive as they enforce the curfew and the additional measures we are taking today." However he urged them to remain "firm" and "fair".—