Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe gives a coronavirus update outside
the Office of the President in Nairobi on March 1, 2020. PHOTO | DENNIS
ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Kenya has banned international gatherings in the country for 30 days amid coronavirus outbreak.
“The
government has, with immediate effect, banned all meetings, conferences
and events of
international nature in Kenya,” Health Cabinet Secretary
Mutahi Kagwe said Friday.
At least two international
meetings that were scheduled to be held in Nairobi have been postponed
due to coronavirus concerns. More than 100,000 people have been infected
by the virus and over 3,200 have died of the disease around the world.
Organisers
of the third edition of Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Global Gathering, the
largest science and innovation gathering in Africa, have put the
gathering on hold over health concerns of attendees.
“We
have taken the difficult decision to postpone NEF Global Gathering 2020
to a date later this year,” Nathalie Munyampenda, Managing Director of
the Kigali-based initiative said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The
safety and health of delegates and the wider public are our highest
concern,” Ms Munyampenda said in the statement promising to announce the
new date in the next few weeks.
The 2020 edition of the biennial global
event was scheduled to be held at the Kenyatta International Convention
Centre (KICC) from March 10 to 13 with 2500 delegates from 80 countries
around the world in attendance.
Organisers had said the
event will be an “important platform” for constructive discussions on
how Africa and the rest of the world will leverage innovative pathways
for transformation.
Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi were due to attend the event.
Earlier
on Tuesday, the leadership of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa
consortium cancelled its 15th consortium meeting that was to happen at
the Emara Ole Sereni in Nairobi from March 8 to 13 over similar
concerns.
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