Kenya extends restaurants operating hours to 7.30pm » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya June 16 – The government has now extended restaurants’ operating hours to 7.30pm.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the decision was arrived at following an assessment of compliance levels by the restaurants for the COVID-19 protocols.

“Appreciating that indeed they have been observing the rule, appreciating that restaurants have been observing the protocols, and arising out of those discussions and observing restaurant behavior the National Emergency Response Committee has directed that hours of business for restaurants will be extended to 7:30pm,” Kagwe said.  

He however, warned that any establishment found violating the COVID-19 regulations will be ordered closed and their licence taken withdrawn.

“With this extension, the restaurants will be required to continue to adhere to the protocols set out,” Kagwe said on Tuesday, when he released new statistics for COVID-19 status in the country.

Restaurants have been operating until 5pm.

And to ensure compliance to the minimum standards, Kagwe said, operators are required to work with Public Health officials in their respective regions.

“Public health officials in their respective areas are required to ensure that these guidelines are complied with. They are also required to conduct regular inspection of the facilities and any operator found not to follow the guidelines will have their licenses and certificates to operate revoked permanently,” Kagwe said.

A 13-year-old child and a 90-year-old are among 133 new infections in the country.

The new cases, announced Tuesday, raises the infections tally in Kenya to 3,860 by June 16.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the new cases were detected from 3,255 samples tested since Monday when the last update was given by Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

Of these new cases, 90 were detected in the capital Nairobi, 27 in Mombasa, 5 in the border town of Busia, 2 in Kilifi, 7 in Kiambu and 2 in Kajiado.

There was also hope for virus patients in the country, after 40 were discharged from various health facilities countrywide.

The death toll by June 16 rose to 105, after one more patient succumbed.

The infection cases have been on a sharp increase in the country lately, despite tough containment measures, which include a night curfew that starts at 9pm to 4 am, and cessation of movement in Nairobi, Mombasa and Mandera Counties which have recorded high infections.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to announce new measures on July 6, on expiry of the current containment measures, after receiving reports from various government agencies, stakeholders and special committees set up to evaluate the possibility of re-opening the economy.

Schools, churches and bars remain closed in Kenya since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.