President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the closure of all schools in the country amid fears of Coronavirus Pandemic.
He gave this order while addressing the nation at his Harambee House office on Sunday evening. This is after two more cases of Coronavirus were reported in the country from people who got into contact with the first patient.
Universities are set to be closed on March, 20 while all primary and secondary schools must be closed by March 18, 2020.
Uhuru adopted safety precautions when he arrived, as he waved at Cabinet Secretaries without shaking their hands.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has arrived at Harambee House for today's #COVID19 briefing.
Schools expected to be closed until further notice. pic.twitter.com/rre7uGmOAW— Oliver Mathenge (@OliverMathenge) March 15, 2020
The order comes after calls by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), who prompted Education Cabinet Secretary to close learning institutions so as to curb the spread of COVID-19.
After the first case of Coronavirus was announced in the country, Africa Nazarene University ordered its students to go home.
However, leaders in the country had also called for the closure of learning institutions. Senate majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen said it was necessary to close down schools since the flu spreads faster in children.
Ordinarily, flu spreads fast through Children in School and other social places. It’s my considered opinion that schools should be closed as from tomorrow until the relevant authorities prepare well for better ways of containing #COVID19 in Kenya.
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) March 15, 2020
Other than Kenya, affected countries in the world have also closed down learning institutions. Rwanda President Paul Kagame ordered the closure of schools immediately after the first case of Coronavirus case was reported in his country on Saturday.