Kenya confirms first coronavirus case, bans public events, gatherings except church events

Kenya has confirmed the first case of coronavirus which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic on Wednesday.

The virus which exploded in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei Province has claimed 4,600 lives with over 126,000 people infected globally out of whom 67,000 have recovered.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe Friday said the virus was confirmed on a 27 year old female student who traveled in from the United States via London, United Kingdom.

“This was a lady who was living on her own, I want to thank because she has put citizen responsibility to the test. Because the minute she started feeling unwell and she said to us having read what you have been publishing she thought that she took her herself to the hospital.”

“This is an import, it is not a homegrown case. So we are hoping that it is an isolated case and we can tackle it,” he stated.

Mutahi Kagwe told the news conference the government had suspended all public gatherings, sporting events, open-air religious meetings and “all events that are of a huge public nature”.

He said schools would remain open but all inter-school events would be suspended.