This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
Kenya is on the brink of tougher measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, with Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announcing 45 new cases on May 5, 2020, the highest tally in a day for the country so far.
Of the new cases, 29 were reported in Nairobi's Eastleigh, bringing the total number of cases in the area to 63. The surge in cases has prompted Kagwe to warn that community spread is happening in Nairobi, particularly in Eastleigh.
"There is now community spread happening in Nairobi and particularly in Eastleigh. These are numbers from the last 24 hours," Kagwe said during the daily updates on Covid-19 cases at Afya House, Nairobi.
Other hotspots include Kawangware in Nairobi, with 24 cases, and Mombasa's Old Town with 39 cases. The government has linked the cases in Wajir to recent travels by residents to Mogadishu, Somalia.
Kagwe expressed disappointment with the laxity shown by some Kenyans in adhering to measures issued to fight the disease, warning that the government will not hesitate to come up with more stringent measures if this culture does not change.
"The figure we have today demonstrates things are not getting better. Yet, some people have come to a conclusion that things are back to normal," Kagwe said. "It is as a result of this behaviour that we are now seeing a rise in the number of positive cases."
The government's decision to reopen restaurants may be revised as part of the new measures to be announced this week, with Kagwe warning that establishments found to be flouting guidelines will be permanently closed.
