Amid the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19, the Kuwaiti Cabinet held a meeting on Wednesday, 11th March to further discuss precautionary measures.
During the meeting, the Minister of Health and head of the inter-agency committee dealing with the outbreak, Sheikh Dr. Basel Humoud Al-Sabah, talked to all Cabinet members regarding the crisis and how to confront it, as well as future scenarios and plans.
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Kuwait Takes Strict Measures to Combat COVID-19
In order to protect the health and safety of the country’s citizens and residents, the Cabinet made the following decisions, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported:
#1 – Suspension of commercial flights to and from Kuwait starting midnight on Friday, 13th March 2020, until further notice. Arrival flights will be limited to Kuwaiti travelers and their first-degree relatives. Plans and programs for evacuating Kuwaiti citizens are also ongoing.
#2 – Prevention of public gatherings in restaurants, cafes, and halls, including those inside shopping centres.
#3 – Closure of private health clubs as well as health institutes.
#4 – Declaration of an official holiday between Tuesday, 12th March to Thursday, 26th March 2020, provided that the official working hours will be resumed on Sunday, 29th March 2020.
#5 – The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs is directed to issue warnings on the dangers of gatherings, as well as to raise awareness in taking precautionary measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in mosques and places of worship.
The Kuwaiti Cabinet also called for everyone’s support and cooperation in abiding by the above instructions, particularly on the prevention of public gatherings.
Mass Transportation Suspended
Aside from commercial flights, mass transportation has also been suspended, based on recommendations from health authorities. The suspension started on Thursday, 12th March, until further notice.
COVID-19: Latest Numbers
As of this writing, Channel News Asia reports that there are 133,561 confirmed cases and 4,963 reported deaths due to COVID-19 worldwide. Majority of these are in mainland China, with 80,793 confirmed cases and 3,169 reported deaths. This is followed by Italy (15,113 confirmed cases; 1,016 reported deaths), Iran (10,075 confirmed cases; 429 reported deaths), and South Korea (7,979 confirmed cases; 66 reported deaths).
In Kuwait, there are 80 confirmed cases and zero fatalities reported.
As the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise, not only in Kuwait but all over the world, let us do our part by practicing good personal hygiene, staying updated on the latest news, and following official instructions from authorities, in addition, please take note of these tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (link).