Iran has ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural centers in more than a dozen provinces affected by coronavirus infection. “We have 10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19,” Iran’s health ministry said on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 28.
There have been six deaths so far in Iran, with the latest victim succumbing to the infection on Sunday. Since it emerged in December, the new coronavirus (COVID-19) has killed 2,345 people in China, the epicenter of the epidemic, and 16 elsewhere in the world.
Kuwait, which has been on heightened alert since the outbreak was first reported in China, has ramped up health security measures at border points following reports of infection in Iran. Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah has announced that the health ministry is closely monitoring the latest updates about coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and has taken firm precautionary and preventive measures to counter the epidemic. He stressed that the ministry is committed to the highest level of transparency with regards to the recent discovery of infected cases in some neighboring countries.
Reiterating that there are no cases of COVID-19 in Kuwait, Sheikh Basel urged people to follow official statements about the infection from the health ministry, and not fall victims to fake news and fear mongering on social media platforms. He affirmed that the ministry is in contact with the World Health Organization around the clock to get updates about the global situation of the COVID-19 outbreak. He added Kuwait is also contacting other Gulf countries to follow up on recommendations, relevant precautions and practical steps to curb the spread of the virus.
The health ministry has cautioned against travel to Qom and has said it will quarantine all those arriving from Qom. Interior ministry assistant undersecretary for residency affairs Maj Gen Talal Maarafi also announced that, following requests from the health ministry, security personnel are preventing Iranians from entering Kuwait as a precautionary measure. He added that Iranians holding valid residency permit in Kuwait who are currently outside the country will be granted three-months extra grace period to remain outside the country in addition to the normal six-months.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said that upon recommendations from the health ministry it had decided to suspend all flights to and from Iran since last Friday. The DGCA added that all expats who visited Iran over the past two weeks will not be allowed to enter the country, even if they have valid visas. Kuwaiti citizens who visited Iran during the same period, will be put in quarantine at special health facilities, it noted. The authority also called on all citizens to postpone travel to Iran until further notice.
Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) also suspended the movement of passengers to and from Iran via sea ports. “The decision is a precautionary measure aiming to prevent possible spread of the illness to passengers,” KPA said in a statement.
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