This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in Kenya, Guardian Bank has taken a precautionary measure by temporarily closing its Westlands branch in Nairobi. The closure, which began on Wednesday, is expected to last for one week to allow for fumigation and safety protocols to be implemented.
This move comes after several staff members at the branch tested positive for the disease, making it the second bank to take such action. In May, Kenya Commercial Bank closed its Mvita branch in Mombasa after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
During the closure period, Guardian Bank has rerouted its customers to its other outlets across Nairobi to minimize disruptions to its services.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has reported 278 new COVID-19 cases from 3,053 samples tested in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in Kenya to 8,528. Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced the update from Wote, Makueni County, where the total number of tests done since the first case was reported in March has reached 196,508.
Eighty-nine patients have been discharged from various hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,593. Unfortunately, two patients have succumbed to the virus, raising the fatalities to 169.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Kenyans to prioritize health measures currently in place to curb the spread of the disease, as he unveiled a phased re-opening of the country on Monday. The President rolled back travel restrictions placed to tame the spread of COVID-19, seeking to strike a balance between containing the disease and stopping the economy from sinking further.
