Nairobi (SD) – The Kenyan government has placed a curfew on the Somali-dominated Eastleigh district in the capital Nairobi, to curtail the a recent COVID-19 outbreak.

 Kenya’s health minister said that for 15 days no one will be allowed to enter or leave Eastleigh, the curfew will take effect at 7:00 pm local time.

“There will no movement into and out of Eastleigh and Old Town in Mombasa from 7pm today,” Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said in his briefing today

Eastleigh is also home to one of the main markets in Kenya, and shoppers come from all over East Africa, where large local Somalis and some from the diaspora heavily invested in that district.

The Kenyan government recently confirmed 29 COVID-19 cases in Eastleigh, sparking health concerns.

Its not clear how the government is going to provide essential services like food and medicine to the public during the lockdown.