Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Both were detected after close contacts of Kenya's patient zero’were rounded up for testing. 

The announcement came alongside the roll-out of a rash of policies and directives aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus in the East African nation. 

Starting Monday, primary schools will be shut down. Boarding schools are expected to send pupils back home by mid-week, while higher education institutions are to close by week's end, the president said. 

Strict travel restrictions will come into effect over the next 48 hours. All inbound travel from countries with reported cases of the disease will be halted for a one-month period. Only Kenyan citizens and legal residents will be allowed to enter Kenya. All new entrants will be required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.

The president discouraged Kenyans from congregating at gatherings like weddings, funerals, and religious services. He also urged companies and offices to allow their staff to work from home. 

Public facilities in the country are directed to provide water, soap, and hand sanitizers for visitors. 

The president urged shoppers to avoid cash and instead opt for credit cards or mobile money transactions. He also urged mobile service providers to consider reducing transaction fees.