Kenya has imposed a 30-day ban on all conferences of an international nature amid efforts to contain the coronavirus.
Through health CS Mutahi Kagwe, the government said the ban will affect over 15 foreigners who had been scheduled to come to the country.
Speaking to journalists at the Mbagathi hospital on Friday, Kagwe who doubles up as Chairman of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus said the 30-day ban will take effect from March 6.
He said government officials traveling to the affected countries will not be allowed to unless it is crucial.
“If a conference or meeting involves people traveling from Europe, the Middle East or so on, we have asked that you suspend at least for the next 30 days,” he said.
The CS said the ban does not affect other conferences and events that are only for Kenyans.
He said the government has temporarily lifted the ban on flights from Italy to allow one empty flight to land in Kenya to evacuate some 800 travelers stranded in Malindi.
He said the foreigners were locked in when the ban on flights to Verona, Milan and Northern Italy was imposed last week.
Mutahi said in the new contaminant plan, his ministry will be sending Coronavirus sensitization and tips to Kenyans through text messages via toll-free Safaricom line.
(H/T StarKenya