Kenyatta lifted a ban on alcohol sales in hotels and restaurants saying, "hotspots like Nairobi and Mombasa have begun to stabilize," as a result of the majority of Kenyans adequately observing Covid-19 guidelines. The national positivity rate has fallen from 13% in June to 8% in August, the president noted, adding “we are reporting more recoveries than infections in some instances”.
Bars and nightclubs will remain closed, and a nationwide curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. local time will remain in place for another 30 days.
Despite the progress in major cities, Kenyatta warned the crisis is shifting to other counties with weaker health systems. “The new frontier of this invisible enemy is increasingly shifting to the counties and rural areas,” he said.
“We note the good progress we have made so far in fighting this enemy, but, this positive news is no license for us to drop guard and backslide from our path of responsibility.”
At least 213 people tested positive on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to at least 33,016 with 564 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.