Kenya has reported a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases, with more than 1,000 people confirmed to have contracted coronavirus on Thursday.

This is the highest number of single-day cases to be recorded in the country since the first case was reported on 13 March.

Critics say the rise in cases is as a result of people not adhering to safety measures in open spaces after President Uhuru Kenyatta relaxed restrictions three weeks ago.

The health ministry is holding talks with the management of about 20 hotels that will be converted into isolation facilities to ease pressure in hospitals.

Some hospitals are said to have started recording a surge in admissions.

Daniel Yumbya, the chief executive of the Medical Pharmacists and Dentists Council, said the country has a total of 18,443 isolation beds - which are not enough.

"We’re now back to negotiating with private hotels to charge the bare minimum for patients in isolation. We do not want hospitals to be overwhelmed," Mr Yumbya told journalists on Thursday.

Kenya has so far confirmed over 47,200 coronavirus cases with 870 deaths.