As the trend of COVID-19 cases remains on the rise in most parts of the world, the Kuwait government shares important updates on the situation of the outbreak in the Gulf State.
And while there is no lockdown or community quarantine imposed in the country as of yet, health officials are wary and are keen on curbing the spread of the contagion in the country as best and as effectively as possible.
Ministry of Health Bares Update on COVID-19 Situation in Kuwait
As of March 16, the Health Ministry of Kuwait has reported 130 cases infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). With the exception of four cases in critical condition, all cases are in stable condition and are recovering in quarantined locations designated by the government for this purpose, while hundreds have been discharged after exhibiting no symptoms during their 14-day quarantine period, as shared in a report by the Kuwait Times.
Meanwhile, 12 people have been reported to have recovered fully after previously been infected with the virus.
In light of the current situation, Kuwait is taking measures to test Kuwaitis coming from infected areas for potential infection, as it has already tested thousands of people, the overwhelming majority of them have returned from Iran.
Meanwhile, Kuwait requires all expatriates who arrived from travel on March 1 and beyond to visit Kuwait International Fairground where the Ministry of Health has set up a center at Hall 6 to test people for possible infection.
As a precaution, Kuwait has suspended all commercial flights to and from the Gulf Arab state starting March 13 and until further notice, with the exception of cargo flights.
Furthermore, the government has announced a public holiday in the country from March 12 to March 26, with work resuming on March 29, while entities providing vital services will remain open.
The government decided to close all shopping malls, beauty salons and barbershops as part of its measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The government also allowed restaurants to host a maximum of five people at a time and in case there are lines, the distance must be at least one meter between people.
Meanwhile, state departments and public offices have been on high alert to take precautions against the potential spread of the virus.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has taken measures to make sure that facial masks, hand sanitizers, and other goods remain accessible to the public. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has suspended classes for March at all public and private schools (for both students and teaching staffs); first from March 1 to March 12, and later extended it until March 29.
In the meantime, the Civil Service Commission suspended the biometric fingerprint system for staff attendance until further notice.
Also, the government has stopped issuing entry permits and visas unless those issued through diplomatic missions.
To maintain open communication and to provide an immediate response to citizens’ queries regarding the situation at hand, the Ministry of Health has set the following hotlines to receive inquiries about the coronavirus 24/7:
- 24970967
- 96049698
- 99048619
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health has launched an online platform to register people who are in home quarantine. This online service was launched for citizens and expatriates to reduce the spread of infection and in line with the ministry’s plan.
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