On Monday, the Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed that three people, a Saudi national, an elderly Kuwaiti man and Kuwaiti youth, were found to be infected with COVID-19 and that all necessary measures had been taken to safely quarantine and treat them.
The ministry said that preliminary tests conducted on passengers coming from the Iranian city of Mashhad resulted in the discovery of three confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kuwait. In a statement the MoH revealed that the first case was a 53-year-old Kuwaiti citizen, the second, a 61-year-old Saudi citizen, and the third, a 21-year-old Kuwaiti youth.
The ministry added that all three cases are under constant observation by the medical staff, and that concerned authorities have taken all necessary precautionary measures, as per guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The MoH stressed that it is in control of the situation and is fully equipped to handle the infection. The ministry added that it had initiated an emergency plan to deal with the infection and had cancelled all leave for MoH employees until further notice.
Cooperation between Kuwait and WHO is expected to increase significantly following the opening of a regional office of WHO in Kuwait, said Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim, Kuwait top diplomat to the United Nations in Geneva. Ambassador Al-Ghunaim was speaking after meeting with the Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Program, Dr. Michael Ryan, with whom he discussed diverting part of Kuwait’s annual donation to the WHO of $1 million to help fight COVID-19 infections around the world.
He added that Kuwait fully supported WHO’s endeavors to fight coronavirus and that Kuwait’s delegation to the UN in Geneva was in contact with WHO on a daily basis to get latest updates about COVID-19 and convey them to the health authorities in Kuwait.
In light of the announcement from the health ministry, the Council of Ministers has decided to cancel all official activities planned to be held in celebration of the country’s National and Liberation Days. During its weekly meeting, the Council called on the public to avoid gatherings that contradict the precautionary measures suggested by the MoH and which are aimed at preventing the spread of the Coronavirus in the country.
The Council of Ministers is also said to be studying a plan to extend the vacations for schools in Kuwait for a week, after the end of the National and Liberation Day holidays. Schools that are scheduled to open on Sunday, 1 March could be postponed for a week to 8 March, as a precautionary measure being recommended by the MoH.
Coronavirus or COVID-19, which first appeared in China has now spread to several countries around the world, including to seven nations in the Middle East:
Bahrain: A Bahraini citizen arriving back in the kingdom from Iran is currently in isolation and supervision at Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo Medical Centre after being diagnosed with the virus. Individuals who had been in contact with the patient have also been referred to isolation.
Egypt: Egypt confirmed its only case of a deadly coronavirus at the end of last year. Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Mugahed stated that the affected person was a “foreigner” who did not show any serious symptoms.
Iran: Four more people have died of coronavirus in Iran today making it to total death counts to 12 and a total of 47 cases.
Lebanon: Lebanon announced the first coronavirus case in the country on Friday. A 45-year-old woman arriving in Lebanon via plane from Iran’s province of Qom, where coronavirus cases were recently confirmed, Health Minister Hamad Hassan told reporters in Beirut.
Oman: The Ministry of Health in Oman announced on Monday that there were two confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in the country. The two cases are of two Omani female citizens who had returned home from Iran and that the two were in quarantine and in stable condition.
UAE: The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, announced two new cases of the new coronavirus, including a 70-year-old Iranian visitor, whose health is unstable and he is in the intensive care unit. The number of those infected in the UAE has now risen to 13, with three having recovered.