Nurse flouts coronavirus travel ban to visit lover

A Kenyan nurse, who flouted the lockdown directive to visit her boyfriend, under the pretext of offering an essential service, has been quarantined.

She is believed to have travelled from the capital, Nairobi to Nakuru town in the Rift Valley.

The nurse reportedly identified herself to police manning roadblocks and told them she was going to offer essential services.

But she was found out by residents.

BBC reported that neighbours upon realising the deceit called the police.

The police officers then visited the house in the company of health officials who said the nurse’s temperature was higher than normal.

Her temperature exceeded the maximum 37 degrees and was, therefore, taken to the quarantine centre, to observe a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

However, it is not clear if her boyfriend has been quarantined as well.

The government has restricted travel in and out of Nairobi except for cargo trucks to avert the possible spread of the coronavirus.

Health workers, happen to be among the essential service providers allowed to travel within the restricted areas.

As part of measures to contain the virus, President Uhuru Kenyatta, on May 7, imposed a 15-day partial lockdown in Eastleigh, Nairobi and Mombasa city. The two cities were considered as the hotspots.

Prior to that, the government had announced a 21-day lockdown on April 22, 2020.

The authorities had already issued mandatory sanitary guidelines for restaurants, allowing them to reopen between 5 am and 4 pm.

Schools remain closed till June 4, 2020.

Kenya’s coronavirus cases, as of May 19 stands at 963, with 358 recoveries and 50 deaths.