Kenya pubs to reopen but schools to stay shut

Pubs in Kenya will reopen on Tuesday, six months after they were shut to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Trading hours, however, have been restricted - they have to close at 22:00 local time.

The announcement was made by President Uhuru Kenyatta as he addressed the nation on the government's latest initiatives to tackle the pandemic.

He extended a nationwide curfew for a further 60 days, but said it would start two hours later - now lasting from 23:00 to 04:00.

The change would take effect on Tuesday.

An expected announcement on the reopening of schools did not happen. The ministry of education ordered teachers to report to school on Monday, but President Kenyatta said learning institutions could only open once the safety of students could be guaranteed.

Kenya has had more than 38,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Nine deaths were reported today, pushing the number of fatalities to above 700.

There has been a steady decline in the number of cases in recent weeks. Only 53 new cases were announced on Monday, although health experts have noted a low testing rate.