Ireland Adds Kenya to Its List of 'Designated States' Due to COVID-19

The Republic of Ireland has added Kenya to its list of ‘designated states’ following a surge in COVID-19 infections.

As a result, travelers from Kenya will be required to quarantine in hotels upon arrival in the Republic of Ireland effective April 15th.
 
“Please note—Kenya has been added to the list of designated states for mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland,” the Irish Embassy in Kenya said in a statement.

“From 4 am on 15 April, passengers arriving in Ireland from Kenya must have pre-booked mandatory hotel quarantine before travel.”

This comes a week after the UK added Kenya to its COVID-19 ‘red list’ to prevent the spread of the disease.

Starting April 9th, travelers from Kenya and those who transited through the country in the past 10 days will be refused entry into England.

British and Irish nationals and third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK will be granted entry but will have to quarantine in a hotel. 

Kenya retaliated by banning all flights originating from the UK starting April 9th.

On Wednesday, the two countries announced that a joint committee would be formed to review the travel restrictions that have threatened their ties.

The move followed a phone conversation between Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo and her UK counterpart Dominic Raab.