Kenya shuts border with Somalia over COVID-19 crisis

Kenya has shut its land border with Somalia and Tanzania over increased cases of COVID-19 reported to have been imported from the two countries.

Addressing the nation Saturday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the country had recorded increasing number of COVID-19 from the two neighbouring countries declaring suspension of movement into and outside the two countries.

The cessation of movement into and out of Tanzania and Somalia takes effect today midnight (May 16, 2020).

Only cargo transporters will be exempted from the ban, President Kenyatta said but on condition they test negative for the disease. This week, alone, the Kenyan said, 43 cases had been recorded from Tanzania and Somalia with 14 of them captured in Wajir.

Somalia currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in East Africa with over 1200 people contracting the disease.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Kenya Saturday rose to 830 after 49 more people tested positive for the disease. However, 301 people have been treated and discharged while 50 others have succumbed to the disease.

President Kenyatta extended the dusk to dawn curfew for a further 21 days in addition to a similar timeframe for the cessation of movement into and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, Mandera, Kilifi and Kwale counties.