Government speaks on re-opening churches and other places of worship

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday clarified a number of issues regarding the reopening of eateries and restaurants and also spoke on the possibility of reopening churches.

During a presser given by Health CAS Rashid Aman, the ministry stated that pubs should remain closed and restaurants should strictly observe the guidelines that were issued.

Asked about the reopening of places of worship, Dr Mwangi Kuria said the government was still working with experts who have been modelling possible outcomes.

“We need to monitor how the disease is progressing…we are looking at the disease pattern,” he said.

Most churches in the country have resorted to online services while some air their sermons on selected TV stations.

The government has continued to urge Kenyans to observe social distancing in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

This comes as the country recorded 11 new cases of coronavirus bringing the national tally to 374.

Out of the new cases, seven are from Nairobi and four are from Mombasa.

The four cases recorded in Nairobi are from Kawangware (4), Eastleigh (1), Manji (1) and Kaloleni (1) while the four cases from Mombasa are all from Kibokoni (Old Town).

So far, in terms of distribution of COVID-19 cases, Nairobi has 241, Mombasa 97, Kilifi nine, Mandera eight, Kiambu five and Kajiado three.

Also, two children are among the infected and the oldest patient is 75 years old.

The ministry asked restaurants to maintain high levels of hygiene at all times, reiterating that all employees should be tested.