This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
On July 6, 2020, Kenya surpassed 8,000 Covid-19 cases, with 181 new infections confirmed despite the government's efforts to ease restrictions and reopen the economy.
The new cases represent 8.4 percent of the 2,121 samples tested over the last 24 hours, a significant increase from the 3-3.5 percent infection rate a month ago.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the conditional reopening of the economy, scrapping the order on cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera counties, and allowing the resumption of air travel and church services.
However, the President warned that if the pandemic worsens, the country will be forced to return to a lockdown.
“By reopening Nairobi, Mombasa and Mandera, we are more at risk than we were when the restrictions were in place. We must, therefore, exercise cautious optimism, and avoid reckless abandon. I believe that, although the path to recovery is rocky and uneven, it is navigable,” said Mr Kenyatta in his speech.
Mr Kenyatta also made a national call to civic responsibility, urging Kenyans to practice extreme precaution.
From the 181 new cases, Nairobi accounted for 134, Kiambu 19, Mombasa nine, Machakos and Kajiado six each, while Lamu recorded three cases, Murang’a had two, and Uasin Gishu and Kirinyaga counties reported an incident each.
Some 127 persons were discharged, while four succumbed to the virus, bringing the total recoveries and deaths to 2,414 and 164, respectively.
