Kenya extends curfew for a month as COVID-19 cases jump

Nairobi: Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta extended a nightly curfew on Monday, July 27 for 30 days to curb the spread of COVID-19 and banned alcohol sales in restaurants but stopped short of locking down the country again despite a surge in cases.

The curfew had been due to be lifted on Aug. 6 or 7. Kenyans on the streets of Nairobi greeted the news with mixed feelings, with some expressing concern about the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and favouring a total lockdown. Kenya has so far reported 17,975 cases of infection with the new coronavirus and 285 deaths from the related disease COVID-19. The health ministry said on Sunday (July 26) it had reported 960 more cases, the biggest daily jump since the first case was confirmed in March.

Kenyatta, referring to the country being at war with an invisible enemy, said the government had also shortened restaurant operating times by an hour, and ordered bars to stay closed indefinitely.