Kenya's health officials have denied entry to 182 foreigners who tried to enter the country at various points on its border with Tanzania after testing positive for coronavirus.

Of the cases, 126 tested positive in the main border crossing of Namanga. The others were diagnosed in four other border points. The nationalities of the foreigners were not disclosed.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday closed borders with Tanzania and Somalia following an increase in cross-border infections. Cargo vehicles were exempted, but drivers have to be tested for coronavirus at border points.

"We can not allow people from outside Kenya to come in without a Covid-19 free certificate, just like we are not allowing Kenyan drivers to leave without a certificate,” Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe told a media briefing on Tuesday.

“What would have happened had we not taken the measure of testing at the border is that the cases being reported in the country would have gone up,” he added.

Another 18 coronavirus cases were picked up along the Kenya - Somalia border in the northern region of Kenya. Fourteen of them tried coming in through Wajir while two from Garissa counties.