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A legal notice signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, has laid out new guidelines for COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

Over the last 2 weeks, COVID-19 infections in Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Bungoma, Kericho, Bomet, Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori counties constituted 60% of the national caseload.

In a move to reduce infections in the region, the government, in consultations with the Council of Governors, has reviewed the following containment measures.

  1. Counties of Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Kericho, Bomet, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori are individually and collectively declared as a COVID-19 hotspot zone.
    2. Effective 18th June, 2021 the curfew within the hotspot zone shall be observed between 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. daily.
    3. Except for essential and emergency services, movement between the hotspot Zone and the rest of the country is strongly discouraged.
    4. All cross-border cargo drivers shall be required to possess a valid certificate indicating a negative COVID-19 test that was conducted no more than 48 hours before their trip. Each cargo truck shall be limited to only 2 persons per vehicle.
    5. Weekly non-food and livestock markets are hereby suspended in the Hotspot Zone for a period of 30 days.
    6. All public gatherings and in-person meetings of whatever nature are prohibited within the Hotspot Zone, including house parties and sporting activities.
    7. All funerals and interment ceremonies within the Hotspot Zone shall be conducted within 72 hours of confirmation of death.
    8. Night Vigils and overnight processions prior to funerals are prohibited within the Hotspot Zone until further notice.
    9. Attendees for funerals within the Hotspot Zone are capped to a maximum of 50 persons until further notice.
    10. 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.
    11. All forms of physical/congressional worship (churches, mosques, temples and shrines) in the hotspot counties are suspended for a period of 30 days.
    12. All employers including the public and private sector, government offices, businesses and companies in the Hotspot Zone are advised to allow employees to work from home. Only employees working in critical or essential services are exempted.
    13. All hospitals within the Hotspot Zone are directed to limit the number of visitors for hospitalized patients to one visitor per patient per time until further notice.

However, regions outside the Hotspot Zone shall continue to observe curfew hours from 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. daily.

All Kenyans, are have been reminded to employ physical distancing, observe proper hand hygiene, and observe the proper and consistent use of facemasks.