The Ministry of Health announced today at a press conference that three new infections of coronavirus has been reported in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus infected patients has increased to 72.
Dr. Al-Sanad told a daily press briefing that one of the infected persons had travelled from Iran, an Egyptian and a Sudanese were in close contact with an infected person who had come from Azerbaijan. There are presently five infected persons at the intensive case unit, including one in critical condition and four stable. Total number of people who have been infected with the contagious disease stands at 70, he announced. Two of the patients had recovered, he added.
The Ministry of Health calls on citizens and expatriates to avoid social gatherings (diwaniyas) and take precautionary measures.
To counter a possible spread of the new coronavirus infection, the following was initiated by the Kuwait cabinet:
1) Extending holidays of all schools, universities: government and private colleges and military colleges as well as the educational centers of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs for an additional two weeks and assigning the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education to prepare plans for dealing with future scenarios and repercussions of the current suspension and to come up alternatives to traditional educational process, tests and procedures.
2) Instructing concerned authorities to close all cinemas and theaters, as well as public and private wedding halls and ban setting up makeshift wedding reception tents until further notice.
3) Calling on sports federations to halt sports activities and friendly matches until further notice.
4) End to all types of entry visas and limit visa issuing to the Kuwaiti diplomatic missions abroad.
5) Ministry of Health can use the Kuwait International Fairground as a medical examination center.
6) Setting rules to funeral ceremonies to be in line with the health guidelines to control spread of infection.
7) Obliging all government agencies to make sure that Kuwaiti and expat employees, who recently traveled from any virus-infected countries to be placed in quarantine or ordered to stay at home, and will not be allowed to return to work before the end of their quarantine period.
8) Issuing the necessary guidelines from the Ministry of Health to regulate the entry of returnees from different countries according to the following categories.
In addition, in line with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to avoid large congregations to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infection in the country, the security authorities have signalled that security campaigns against residency violators will be temporarily suspended. The move comes following increased congestion at the detention center due to a backlog in deportations, arising from the government’s decision to temporarily suspend flights to and from seven countries.