COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya

The COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached Kenya on 12 March 2020, with the initial cases reported in the capital city Nairobi and in the coastal area Mombasa.
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll. Model-based simulations for Kenya indicate that the 95% confidence interval for the time-varying reproduction number R t has been lower than 1.0 since August 2021.
Kenya has so far experienced seven waves of COVID-19: (1) July–September 2020; (2) October 2020–January 2021; (3) February–July 2021; (4) August–October 2021; (5) November 2021–January 2022; (6) June–July 2022; (7) November–December 2022.
In response to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Kenya to three, on 15 March the government of Kenya closed all schools and directed that all public and private sector workers remote work wherever possible. Travel restrictions were later imposed to prevent non-residents from entry. Kenyan nationals and residents were required to self-quarantine for a minimum of fourteen days.
On 22 March, following the confirmation of an additional eight cases, bringing the total to 16 nationally, the Kenyan government introduced additional measures and directives to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the country. These measures included a suspension of all international flights effective at midnight on 25 March, with the exception of cargo flights (all persons entering the country will be compelled to undergo quarantine at a government facility). The government further stipulated that any persons, including senior government officials, found to be in violation of quarantine measures would be forcefully quarantined at their own expense. All bars were to remain closed from 22 March, with restaurants allowed to remain open for takeaway services only. All public service vehicles (i.e., matatus and buses) had to adhere to passenger-distancing guidelines previously stipulated on 20 March. Further, all public gatherings at churches, mosques, funerals and elsewhere were restricted to no more than 15 people, and weddings were banned.
In May 2020, Kenyan authorities dislodged 8000 people from 2 informal settlements, compelling them to live on streets for weeks. This increased the possible risk of spreading COVID-19 among them. The people were also vulnerable of being arrested for breaking curfews.
On 25 March, President Uhuru Kenyatta, following the reporting of an additional three cases, announced a nationwide curfew on unauthorized movement from 7pm to 5am beginning on Friday, 27 March. The government also unveiled measures to buffer Kenyans against financial hardships arising movement restrictions associated with the coronavirus crisis, including:
The government also moved to increase the allocation of funds for health care, along with other fiscal adjustments to the economy:
The 7pm – 5am curfew announced on 25 March was accompanied by reports of police brutality. First-hand accounts and video footage in several cities, including Nairobi and Mombasa, indicated that police used beatings and tear gas on 27 March. Some accounts indicate that detention resulted in crowding of people into small areas, contrary to the curfew's goal of increasing social distancing. Kenyan officials and government outlets later condemned police behaviour.
Subsequently, a petition was filed by Law Society of Kenya claiming that the curfew itself was unconstitutional, "because it is blank and indefinite, and because it is ultra vires [it contravenes] the Public Order Act" and that the curfew posed a threat to the health of the general population. The petition further asserted that, "police recklessly horded large crowds on the ground, contrary to WHO advice on social distancing. Moreover, the first respondent (police) stopped the media from monitoring their movement and assaulted journalists covering the process".
On 30 March, the High Court of Kenya upheld the curfew itself, but barred police from using excessive force to enforce the curfew and demanded the police provide guidelines for observing the curfew.
On 31 March, a 13-year-old boy was shot dead, allegedly by police, on the balcony of his home in Kiamaiko, Nairobi, 20 minutes after the curfew had started. On 25 April, additional 21 days were added as curfew with focus still in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and across the country.
The Kenya Government shut down all schools and colleges on 15 March 2020 in a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Kenya. At the time of school shutdown, there were less than 10 daily reported COVID-19 cases and not a single death. However, the growing cases were of concern to the government which wanted to prevent a spike in cases as it happened in parts of Europe.
On 11 September 2020, the Ministry of Education, through the CS George Magoha announced that preparations were being made to allow a phased re-opening of schools. These preparations allowing schools time to set-up their safety measures and training teachers and staff the necessary protocols for handling students. Schools are required to install handwashing facilities in strategic places, ensure they have enough running water and to have thermo guns for taking temperatures, teach about proper mask wearing and ensure students kept on their masks throughout while at school and outside.
On Monday, October 4, 2020, Grade 4, Class 8, and Form 4's reported back to school in the first part of the progressive reopening of schools. They remained in school for the second term, which ran until December 23.
The second part of the progressive re-opening of schools started on January 4, 2021. All the students who had attended the first phase reported back for their term 3, while the rest of the students reported for their second term. These were students from: PP1 and 2, Grade 1, 2 and 3, Class 5, 6 and 7 and Form 1, 2 and 3's. Schools closed March 19, 2021 to complete the second term for the second lot.
The class 8 and form 4's were left behind to sit for their National examinations with standard 8 pupils sitting for their KCPE exams on 22–24 March 2021 and form 4's sitting for their KCSE exams on 25 March - 16 April 2021. The 2020 KCPE results were announced on 15 April 2021, and the 2020 KCSE results were announced on 10, May 2021 by CS Prof George Maghoha.
The travel restrictions reduced Kenya's hotel, tourism and flower industries. In contrast to citizens in industrialized countries, some Kenyans have the ability to switch from their city jobs to rural labour for food.
The Safari Rally, which was scheduled on 16–19 July to marked the sixty-eighth running of the event and planned to be the seventh round of World Rally Championship in its return since 2002, was cancelled and would return in 2021.
In September 2021 the United Kingdom removed Kenya from its 'Red' list of COVID-affected countries.[1]