By B Izzak and A Saleh

KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday reported its first three cases of novel coronavirus among hundreds of people returning from Iran, causing panic and triggering strong criticism of the government. The ministry of health said a 53-year-old Kuwaiti man, a 61-year-old Saudi man, and a 21-year old bedoon man had tested positive for the deadly disease. They all had come from the Shiite holy city of Mashhad. The Saudi health ministry later announced that the Saudi national will remain in Kuwait until he fully recovers.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet ordered the cancelation of all celebrations of the National and Liberation Days today and tomorrow, when thousands of Kuwaitis and expats normally take to the Gulf Road every year. Ministries, companies and even The Avenues mall all cancelled their planned celebrations on the occasion of the national and liberation days. The government is contemplating to suspend school next week as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus. Schools are off for three days, starting today, on the occasion of the national holidays.

A large number of MPs strongly lashed at the government, claiming the ministry of health failed to take adequate measures to combat the disease and blamed the health minister for bowing to political pressure by MPs to allow a number of people who returned from Iran to go home instead of keeping them in quarantine. The lawmakers called on the government to cancel all celebrations and suspend schools for one month in a bid to prevent the deadly disease from spreading.

Thousands of Shiites from Kuwait and other Gulf states travel to Iran regularly to visit holy shrines. The coronavirus cases could increase as hundreds of Kuwaitis who were brought back to the country aboard special flights from Iran are still quarantined inside a five-star hotel in Mangaf. Police with masks stood guard outside the Al-Kout Hotel, and no one from outside was allowed to come close. The people will remain in isolation for 14 days to make sure that no one is infected with COVID-19, as more Kuwaitis are expected to be repatriated from Iran, including 140 students of religious studies in the holy city of Qom and their family members.

Kuwait has already banned flights and shipping from the Islamic republic, where 12 people have died, and extended the ban to neighboring Iraq, which also reported its first case of the virus. Kuwait also banned the entry of legal foreign residents who have been to Iran, Iraq or China. The ban also applies to those who have obtained visas. The Iraqi authorities also closed the Safwan land exit border with Kuwait upon Kuwait’s request. Coastguard patrols announced foiling an attempt by eight Iranians to infiltrate into Kuwait by sea. They were arrested to be subjected to medical tests pending deportation.

Health Ministry Undersecretary Mustafa Reda affirmed yesterday that all citizens who arrived from Tehran and Qom are subjected to compulsory quarantine in order to ensure their health and protect society from COVID-19. He added in a joint press conference held at Seif Palace that all citizens have been placed in quarantine for 14 days after applying medical protocol. He stressed all citizens were aware of these measures before boarding the plane. Reda said they are healthy and have not yet shown any symptoms of the virus, adding those showing any symptoms will be transferred to hospital in order to receive appropriate treatment.

Kuwait Oil Company cancelled its celebration of the national holidays while many others are expected to follow suit. Kuwait Football Federation said it had cancelled an Asian club game between a Saudi and Iranian clubs that was due to be played in Kuwait because of a sports ban on Iranian teams.

Prices of masks shot up immediately by more than double, although the commerce ministry set the prices of regular surgical masks at 100 fils and the more advanced N95 masks at KD 1.320. Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan also issued a decision banning the export or re-export of all sanitizers, all types of medical gloves, facemasks, virus testing chemicals including 0.5-5 percent cholorohexidine and 70-95 percent ethanol, and preventive attire. The ban also includes coronavirus testing requirements such as RNA process control kits, nasopharyngeal swab-viral transportation medium, Wuhan CoV E-gene, Wuhan CoV N-gene, Wuhan CoV RdRP-gene and EAV extraction control.

The ministry added in its statement that the department of commercial supervision and consumer protection has devised a plan to monitor prices of medical supplies at pharmacies and medical centers to ensure adherence to the standard criteria and regulations. Special teams have been assigned to inspect prices of medical products in the local market, it said, urging citizens and residents to call on the hotline 135 to report any irregularities in this respect. Health officials warned that they will close pharmacies that increase prices and violate the law.

Like most issues in the country, the coronavirus has turned into a political row. MP Saadoun Hammad claimed five suspected cases are being tested at Jaber Hospital, and called on the health ministry to be transparent regarding the disease. He said that the government should stop repatriating Kuwaitis from Iran and instead should house them in a hotel and test them there. MP Saleh Ashour however said that under the constitution, no one can stop a Kuwaiti citizen from returning to his country.

Some MPs however criticized the health minister for allegedly allowing some of those who returned from Iran to leave quarantine, but the minister Sheikh Basel Al-Sabah categorically denied the accusation. MP Abdulkarim Al-Kandari said after the current crisis is resolved, he plans to file to grill the health minister for bowing to pressure by some MPs to let some people leave the quarantine. MPs Adel Al-Damkhi, Farraj Al-Arbeed and Hamdan Al-Azemi immediately declared their support of the grilling.

MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf said people should be kept in a well-prepared quarantine at a hospital and not at a hotel, adding that the political price of such behavior will be heavy. MP Majed Al-Mutairi also said the health ministry with its multibillion-dinar budget failed to prepare a proper quarantine for the people and kept them at a hotel.

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem called on the government to take all necessary and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the country. MP Mohammad Al-Mutair threatened to question the prime minister if he does not stop repatriating more Kuwaitis from Iran, saying the government should rent a hotel for them and look after them there. He said that authorities should quarantine all those who returned from Iran recently, along with their family members, friends, colleagues and visitors of their diwaniyas to prevent the disease from spreading.

Bahrain, Iraq and Oman also reported their first cases of the disease, joining the United Arab Emirates which has so far discovered 13 cases, all of them foreigners. Oman’s health ministry said two Omani women were diagnosed with the virus after arriving from Iran. Iraq said the new coronavirus was detected in an Iranian theology student in Najaf, who entered the country before it banned the entry of non-Iraqis coming from Iran. The Bahraini health ministry said a Bahraini citizen who arrived from Iran had been diagnosed with the virus.

The three Gulf countries yesterday halted all flights to Iran, with UAE also banning its citizens from traveling to Iran and Thailand because of the disease. With yesterday’s announcements, only Saudi Arabia and Qatar are still free of the coronavirus that has already killed over 2,600, the overwhelming majority of them in China, the epicenter of the disease. Qatar Airways said yesterday it would ask passengers arriving from Iran and South Korea to remain in home isolation or a quarantine facility for 14 days.

Meanwhile, Iran’s government vowed yesterday to be transparent after being accused of covering up the deadliest coronavirus outbreak outside China, dismissing a lawmaker’s claim the toll could be as high as 50. The government announced Iran’s coronavirus death toll had jumped by four to 12 – by far the highest outside China. But Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, a lawmaker from the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, alleged Iran’s government was “lying” about the death toll. “As of last night, about 50 people have died” from the COVID-19 outbreak in Qom alone, he was quoted as saying by ILNA news agency after a closed session of parliament on the crisis.

The government rejected the claim. “I ask our brother who declared this figure of 50 deaths to provide us with a list of their names,” said Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi. “If the number of deaths in Qom reaches half or a quarter of this figure, I will resign.” Iran has been scrambling to contain COVID-19 since Wednesday when it announced the first two deaths in Qom, a center for Islamic studies and pilgrims that attracts scholars from abroad. Authorities have ordered the closure of schools, universities and other educational centers across the country as a “preventive measure”.

But it has not all been doom and gloom. A video has gone viral of young men greeting each other by tapping their feet together to avoid infection, instead of shaking hands or the increasingly common fist-bump. The government also vowed to be open about the disease’s spread. “We will announce any figures (we have) on the number of deaths throughout the country. We pledge to be transparent about the reporting of figures,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said.

Assadollah Abbassi, a spokesman for Iran’s parliament, announced the latest four deaths among 61 infections after yesterday’s session. Citing Health Minister Said Namaki, he said “the cause of coronavirus infections in Iran are people who have entered the country illegally from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China”. After reporting two deaths in Qom, Iran has yet to give a breakdown of where the other patients died.

The province worst hit by infections is Qom, with 34 cases, according to official figures. The others are in Tehran with 13 infections, Gilan with six, Markazi with four, Isfahan with two and one each for Hamedan and Mazandaran. The health minister said one person who died in Qom was a businessman who had made trips to China. Namaki said direct flights between Iran and China had been suspended, but the Qom businessman had travelled there “on a connecting flight”. Iran’s Mahan Air said it had stopped China services this month, apart from eight flights to deliver virus aid to China and return people under the health ministry’s supervision.

The World Health Organization yesterday said the new coronavirus epidemic had “peaked” in China but warned that a surge in cases elsewhere was “deeply concerning” and all countries should prepare for a “potential pandemic”. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the peak in China occurred between Jan 23 and Feb 2 and the number of new cases there “has been declining steadily since then. “This virus can be contained,” he told reporters in Geneva, praising China for helping to prevent an even bigger spread of the disease through unprecedented lockdowns and quarantines in or near the outbreak’s epicenter.

KUWAIT: The Cabinet decided yesterday to cancel all festivals marking the National Days sine die, urging the public to understand the measures taken to face the novel coronavirus and embody purposeful cooperation for the safety of citizens and expats. The Cabinet highlighted that this is an exceptional situation, which needs exceptional and restrictive procedures to maintain the safety of both citizens and expats as well as evade the spread of the epidemic and its risks.

Upon the directives of His Highness the Prime Minister, a taskforce on COVID-19 has been formed to follow up the developments of this epidemic and take required steps to curb its spread into the country. The team, led by Minister of Health, includes representatives of ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, Information and Commerce and Industry, as well as Kuwait General Administration of Customs.

They will keep watch on the possible spread of coronavirus and the measures on both internal and external levels as well as the provision of all preventive and curative supplies. The Cabinet lauded the measures taken by, and strenuous efforts made by the Ministry of Health and other concerned bodies internally and externally, and logistic and medical preparations in this matter. The Cabinet affirmed that it follows up permanently and continuously the development of the spread of the virus.

It emphasized that it would not tolerate taking any measure necessitates the protection of all people on this land. It stressed the necessity of doubling efforts to deal will all possibilities in the face of this epidemic which has affected a number of countries all over the world. It also appealed to people to stick to the instructions issued by the official bodies to escape liability, praying to Allah Almighty to protect the dear homeland and its people from any evil.

Preventive measures
During the Cabinet’s weekly meeting held yesterday at Al-Seif Palace and chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Humoud Al-Sabah – the chair of the taskforce on COVID-19, gave a briefing on the latest developments of the virus and the preventive measures adopted by the competent authorities in keeping with the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Confirming the detection of three infections in Kuwait earlier yesterday, Sheikh Dr Basel told the Cabinet that the three cases are kept under close observation. The Ministry of Health is in contact with the Ministry of Interior, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (GDCA) and the ports authority to verify the health conditions of arrivals from countries hit by the deadly virus, the minister affirmed.

National days
On the glorious occasion of Kuwait’s 59th National Day and the 29th Liberation Day, the Cabinet members offered heartfelt congratulations to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the people of Kuwait. They recalled the valiance of the sons of Kuwait who remained steadfast in resisting injustice and aggression and defending the dear homeland against aggressors, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Khaled Al-Saleh told reporters following the meeting.

They spoke highly of the brave stances of the sisterly and friendly countries which played a decisive role in helping Kuwait regain liberation and restore sovereignty and freedom. The Cabinet members paid homage to the valiant martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the dignity of the homeland, praying to Almighty Allah to lodge them in paradise, and maintain the country’s security and progress under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince.

Wishing the citizens of, and residents in, Kuwait to enjoy the festive holidays of the national days, they highlighted the importance of avoiding negative behavior that could cause unnecessary nuisance or go against the precautionary measures recently adopted to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Meanwhile, the ministers reviewed a report on following up the third quarter, from the first of April until and the end of December, of the 2019-2020 plan. In this context, Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel made a presentation on what has been achieved during the mentioned period, challenges facing the projects, the percentage of execution of these schemes, spending and the pillars of Kuwait’s 2035 vison.

She noted that about 80 percent of the challenges have been addressed. The Cabinet thanked the efforts made to follow-up on the implementation of the annual development plan. It decided to task the minister with referring the report to the National Assembly.

Al-Mutlaa accident
The Cabinet members were briefed by Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Dr Rana Al-Faris on the results of investigations into the accident in Al-Mutlaa housing project; the probes held the contractor directly responsible for the accident. She also briefed the Cabinet with the decisions taken based on the investigation committee results and referring the report to the General Directorate of Investigations to include it in the case before it in addition to the procedures within the institution based on the proposals submitted by the investigation team.

They also discussed the political affairs in light of the reports regarding the current developments on the political arena on Arab and international levels. Regarding the recent regional and global developments, the cabinet congratulated the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, following his reelection. The Kuwaiti cabinet has deplored, in the strongest terms, the “suicide” shooting incident at two shisha bars in the German city of Hanau near Frankfurt, killing some people on Thursday.

Moreover, they denounced the terrorist attack on a church in northern Burkina Faso, which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, affirming the consistent position of the State of Kuwait in rejecting all acts of violence and terrorism. On the other hand, the cabinet followed with deep regret the news of the earthquake that struck the Turkish Republic on Sunday, which claimed the lives of a number of people and left huge material damage, expressing sincere condolences to the friendly Turkish people.

Furthermore, the cabinet expressed condolences to President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, over victims of flash flood that hit a high school group of students who were hiking along a river on Indonesia’s main island of Java. – KUNA

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced three more cases tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Kuwait to eight. The three cases were among citizens who were in quarantine after returning from Iran. Their condition is stable and are currently recovering at a Ministry of Health hospital that was prepared to handle cases infected with COVID-19. (KUNA)

Khairan Resort turned to quarantine site * more countries join flight ban list

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced four more cases tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Kuwait to nine. The four cases were among citizens who were in quarantine after returning from Iran. The Health Ministry announced infected cases for three Kuwaiti men in the early morning hours, before announcing the fourth case – a Kuwaiti woman – at around 9:00 pm. The condition of all patients is stable and they are currently recovering at a Ministry of Health hospital that was prepared to handle cases infected with COVID-19, the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Touristic Enterprises Company announced that the Khairan Resort will be evacuated starting tomorrow (Wednesday) to be turned into a quarantine site for people suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus. This came upon a Ministry of Finance request to use the location for quarantine. All prior reservations will be canceled and money refunded, TEC said.

In the meantime, Kuwait suspended flights from and to South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Iraq, Singapore and Japan, which join Iran, Hong Kong and China as locations flights to and from which were previously suspended.

In response to speculation that schools could be closed beyond the national holidays which end on Thursday, Kuwait University announced today that classes are still on as scheduled. The Ministry of Education has so far not made an announcement on whether to suspend schools for one or two weeks after the holiday as widely speculated. Senior ministry officials are reportedly set to meet Thursday to decide whether to extend the holiday or not.

Also yesterday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry closed 5 pharmacies for violating orders that set prices of masks at 100 fils for surgical masks and 1.320 for N95 masks. The pharmacies are located in Salmiya (1) Maidan Hawally (2) Ishbiliya (1) and Rai (1).

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced midday Wednesday (25 February 2020) the confirmation of six new cases of COVID19 virus associated with travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran, for a total of 18 cases confirmed in Kuwait.

Meanwhile the Minister of Health Sheikh Basel Al Sabah visited the Kuwait International Airport to inspect the medical procedures and checks being conducted on returning airline passengers.

Yesterday, Touristic Enterprises Company announced that the Khairan Resort will be evacuated starting tomorrow (Wednesday) to be turned into a quarantine site for people suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus. This came upon a Ministry of Finance request to use the location for quarantine. All prior reservations will be canceled and money refunded, TEC said.

Kuwait suspended flights from and to Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, as well as all arrivals from Hong Kong and China.

Rumors of cancellation of school, rampant on social media, have not been confirmed. Kuwait University announced today that classes are still on as scheduled. The Ministry of Education has made no announcement to date on whether to suspend schools for one or two weeks after the holiday as widely speculated. Senior ministry officials are reportedly set to meet Thursday to decide whether to extend the holiday or not.

Also yesterday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry closed 5 pharmacies for violating orders that set prices of masks at 100 fils for surgical masks and 1.320 for N95 masks. The pharmacies are located in Salmiya (1) Maidan Hawally (2) Ishbiliya (1) and Rai (1). People who suspect that pharmacies are withholding stocks or have proof of overcharging for masks should call #135 to report the matter.

Continue checking Kuwait Times website and Instagram for updates and information that is reliable and confirmed.

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced seven new coronavirus infection cases Wednesday afternoon after confirming six new cases earlier in the day of COVID19 virus associated with travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran, for a total of 25 cases confirmed in Kuwait as of midday Wednesday, 26 February 2020.

Government spokesman Tareq Merzem announced that the Cabinet decided in an emergency session to shut all schools and colleges – public and private – for two weeks from March 1.

KUWAIT:  All private and public schools and universities have been suspended for two weeks beginning  March 1, government spokesperson Tareq Al-Mezrem announced yesterday after an emergency Cabinet meeting.  The Ministry of Commerce and Industry later announced cancelling all planned exhibitions and events as well as issuance of relevant permissions until further notice. In a press statement yesterday, the ministry said the precautionary measure was taken in accordance with the Cabinet’s instructions after its meeting on February 17. It aims to maintain public health and help control the coronavirus.

Earlier, the health ministry said the number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the country had risen to 26 after 14 more cases were confirmed. The ministry also said in a statement that the new cases were related to people traveling to Iran.Government agencies have been urging the public to only refer to official news channels to obtain correct information amid a barrage of fake reports that have gone viral.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has detected its first two cases of novel coronavirus, a public health advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted yesterday, days after Islamabad closed its land border with Iran, where 19 people have died from the virus.

Brazil’s health ministry said yesterday a Sao Paulo resident has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the first case recorded in Latin America. The 61-year-old patient had returned on February 21 from the Lombardy region of Italy, the epicenter of an outbreak in the European country, Brazil’s Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said.

Iranian cyber police yesterday announced the arrests of 24 people accused of online rumor-mongering about the spread of a coronavirus outbreak. The Islamic republic is scrambling to contain COVID-19 a week after announcing the first two deaths in Qom, a centre for Islamic studies that draws pilgrims and scholars from abroad.

Schools, universities and cultural centres have been closed, sporting events cancelled and teams of sanitary workers deployed to disinfect buses, trains and public spaces. International health experts have expressed concern about Iran’s handling of the outbreak — the deadliest for any country other than China. Such worries mounted on Tuesday when the head of the taskforce combatting the virus, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi, admitted he himself had been infected.

‘Saudi closed border’

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced Thursday morning that a total of 43 people are now confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. All those infected are under medical care.

In related news, Saudi Arabia has suspended entry to the country for the purpose of umrah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily, suspended entry for tourist visas for those coming from countries in which the spread of the new coronavirus is a danger, and suspended use by Saudi nationals and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council states of the national identity card to travel to and from the Kingdom, with a few exceptions reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Qatar’s Amir has announced that Doha will evacuate any Qatari nationals and Kuwaiti nationals remaining in Iran, which has been badly hit by the virus.

An unknown number of citizens remain in quarantine at local hotels and in their homes.

#Kuwaittimes #Kuwait #KuwaitNews #coronavírus

‘Saudi closed border’

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced Thursday morning that a total of 43 people are now confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. All those infected are under medical care.

Meanwhile, the Civil Service Commission announced suspending the use of the biometric fingerprint system for employees access registration at all state departments starting March 1.

In the meantime, the education ministry said it has shifted all finals tests for all school stages to after the Eid holiday. The teaching curriculum will also be adjusted to accommodate the change in schedules, while a plan to implement preventive measures against the spread of the virus in school will be put in place at all schools, the ministry announced Thursday.

An unknown number of citizens remain in quarantine at local hotels and in their homes.

In the meantime, Kuwait has ordered its citizens leaving the country to GCC states or coming back from there to use their passports instead of their civil IDs so that authorities can verify their transactions and make sure about their potential visit to countries hit by the coronavirus. This decision Kuwait’s interior ministry announced Thursday also includes GCC nationals wishing to visit Kuwait. However, it does not include citizens who are already in a GCC country and have used their IDs in their exit, nor does it include GCC citizens currently visiting Kuwait and who have used their IDs to enter.

In related news, Saudi Arabia has suspended entry to the country for the purpose of umrah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily, suspended entry for tourist visas for those coming from countries in which the spread of the new coronavirus is a danger, and suspended use by Saudi nationals and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council states of the national identity card to travel to and from the Kingdom, with a few exceptions reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has also announced that Doha will evacuate any Qatari nationals and Kuwaiti nationals remaining in Iran, which has been badly hit by the virus.

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday urged nationals who are currently abroad to return home. In light of a statement made earlier by Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Interior Anas Al-Saleh calling on citizens to abstain from travelling except for necessities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Kuwaiti nationals who are abroad to return to Kuwait. The Foreign Ministry said the call was intended to spare them hazards of infection of coronavirus and relieve them of rapid and changing precautions for entry and departure for travelers, undertaken by states as precautions against the virus. Saleh had urged Kuwaitis to refrain from traveling as part of the wide-scale government efforts in the face of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) has directed all local banks to take preventive measures so as to face the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, to protect employees and customers through providing sterilization materials and facemasks as well as all required preventive equipment. In a press statement issued on Thursday, the bank stressed its keenness on the safety of all workers and customers in the banking sector.

The bank also affirmed working on integration with all efforts made by all concerned bodies in Kuwait to face the virus and prevent its spread, the statement noted. It asked the banks to provide all preventive equipment, mouth-masks and sterilization materials at all locations of automated teller machines (ATMs), and direct all customers to use them necessarily before and after using the ATMs, it pointed out. All local banks must urge their customers to benefit from e-channels through the applications of smartphones or e-location to make transactions without going to braches, if not necessary, it stated.

The banks also are asked to appeal to their customers to use bankcards instead of banknotes, according to the statement. In addition, the CBK called on the banks to write awareness messages on means of protection instructed by the Ministry of Health through its accounts on social media and other channels so as to target the largest segment of customers, the statement concluded.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced Thursday morning that a total of 43 people are now confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. All those infected are under medical care. Meanwhile, the Civil Service Commission announced suspending the use of the biometric fingerprint system for employees access registration at all state departments starting March 1.

In the meantime, the education ministry said it has shifted all finals tests for all school stages to after the Eid holiday. The teaching curriculum will also be adjusted to accommodate the change in schedules, while a plan to implement preventive measures against the spread of the virus in school will be put in place at all schools, the ministry announced Thursday. An unknown number of citizens remain in quarantine at local hotels and in their homes.

Kuwait has ordered its citizens leaving the country to GCC states or coming back from there to use their passports instead of their civil IDs so that authorities can verify their transactions and make sure about their potential visit to countries hit by the coronavirus. This decision Kuwait’s interior ministry announced Thursday also includes GCC nationals wishing to visit Kuwait. However, it does not include citizens who are already in a GCC country and have used their IDs in their exit, nor does it include GCC citizens currently visiting Kuwait and who have used their IDs to enter.

In related news, Saudi Arabia has suspended entry to the country for the purpose of umrah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily, suspended entry for tourist visas for those coming from countries in which the spread of the new coronavirus is a danger, and suspended use by Saudi nationals and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council states of the national identity card to travel to and from the Kingdom, with a few exceptions reported the Saudi Press Agency. Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has also announced that Doha will evacuate any Qatari nationals and Kuwaiti nationals remaining in Iran, which has been badly hit by the virus.

UPDATE

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced two new coronavirus infection cases Friday morning, confirming a total of 45 cases of COVID-19 in the country. Speaking during a press conference, Dr. Buthaina Al-Mudhaf, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs Ministry of Health explained health procedures and awareness efforts by the government. The Ministry of Health has also tested more than 1675 people. Citizens who returned from Italy on flights organized by the government that were tested yesterday were negative and 22 Kuwaitis who returned from Iran via Qatar are also under quarantine but tested negative so far.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health reports no new cases of coronavirus have been detected in the country at a press conference this morning.

Total number of confirmed cases of COVID19 remains at 45.

Another update will be given later.

KuwaitTimes #KuwaitNews #Kuwait #coronavirus

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anas Al-Saleh said Friday the Civil Defense Committee is in permanent session to tackle the risks posed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “The safety of public health is the top priority because citizens are the real riches of the country,” he said in a statement released by the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Security Relations and Media following a meeting by the interagency Committee. The meeting, chaired by Saleh, also gathered Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah and Undersecretary of the Interior Ministry and Head of the Committee Lt Gen Essam El-Nahham as well as other senior officials.

Saleh commended the efforts of competent state bodies that “mobilized their human and technical resources to fend off the COVID-19 risks and protect the safety of all citizens and residents,” according to the statement. The meeting reviewed the precautionary measures implemented by the various state bodies, and ways to maximize benefit from their cooperation and reach the desired targets.

Saleh highlighted the need to continue the public awareness campaign to educate the citizens and residents about the preventive measures and refute fake news and rumors being circulated on some mass media. The urged reliance on the official sources such as the websites of the Ministry of Interior and other government bodies for credible news. During the meeting Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah affirmed that the Ministry of Health continues keeping a close watch on the developments of COVID-19 infections and screening the arrivals from areas hit by the virus.

“We are in contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) to keep updated on the developments of the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide and adopt the necessary precautions to prevent its spread in Kuwait,” the statement quoted the minister as saying. Sheikh Dr Basel noted that the Kuwaiti government suspended all flights to some neighboring countries to stem the spread of the infections to Kuwait and protect the public health.

Representatives of the different state bodies to the Committee reviewed the progress of interagency cooperation and their respective plans for guarding against the COVID-19 spread around the clock. The meeting gathered representatives of the ministries of Defense, Interior, Health, Foreign Affairs, Information, Finance, Education, and Social Affairs, as well as the Kuwait National Guard, the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the General Administration of Customs and Kuwait News Agency. – KUNA

KUWAIT: WHO is following up the number of cases in the region and the misinformation spread over various means of communication and the media that strikes panic, Director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) Dr Ahmad Al-Mandhari said. Procedures are divided into three levels – the first depends on WHO’s recommendations, second on Kuwait’s specific techniques and the third on WHO’s additional measures. Awareness in Kuwait targets all age groups in society, in addition to publishing these instructions in all outlets of the country.

WHO relies on the media and health workers on the frontlines to provide accurate information and report to the Ministry of Health (MoH), he noted. The media plays a pivotal role in assisting WHO’s efforts and the concerned authorities in every country to contain this outbreak and manage it correctly. In the context of containing the spread, there are three main priorities – protecting health workers, protecting the most vulnerable especially the elderly and individuals suffering from chronic diseases, and protecting the most at-risk countries.

WHO launched weeks ago the regional preparedness and response plan aiming to expand the scope of alertness to prevent expanding COVID-19 and its early detection, Mandhari pointed out. He underscored the significance of transparent communication with specialists of WHO in terms of numbers and other details, as well as exchanging this information in a timely manner. Kuwait’s MoH cooperates with WHO in full transparency in order to protect citizens and residents.

Meanwhile, Mandhari inspected yesterday the Jaber Hospital as part of inspection of the national measures against coronavirus. Mandhari said that his tour of the hospital was intended to check on patients infected with the virus and examine health precautions in this respect. He lauded the high-level precautions that have been taken by Kuwait in dealing with the epidemic outbreak. In the last 24 hours, MoH reported no COVID-19 cases in Kuwait. – KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced yesterday that medical face masks will be available for distribution at the supplies storage centers throughout the country. The measure is in line with instructions by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan held meetings with representatives of government departments for coordination on the masks’ distribution. The ministry said in a statement that the conferees had worked out a plan for the masks’ distribution, with deployment of volunteers by the Public Authority for Youth.

The meeting involved the commerce undersecretary Abdullah Al-Afasi, the social affairs undersecretary Abdulaziz Al-Shuaib, the assistant undersecretary for medicines and food supervision Abdullah Al-Bader, the assistant undersecretary for administrative and financial affairs at the Civil Service Commission Bader Al-Hamad, Chairman of the Kuwaiti supplies company Salah Al-Klaib and representatives of the ministry of interior and defense.

Sterilizing products
Earlier yesterday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) and representatives of sterilizing products factories met to discuss measures to provide goods used in countering the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In a press release, the ministry affirmed that it was paramount to tackle the latest challenges caused by the coronavirus, saying that any product, which could reduce chances of contracting COVID-19, should be readily available to the masses as part of the measures to counter the disease. Participants in the meeting stressed that it was a national priority and duty for all to get involved in the efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus, the statement indicated.

Boursa trading
In the meantime, Kuwaiti bourse company announced that trading at the stock market would resume today as regular. However, the main trading hall will be shut and visitors’ seats at external hallways will be removed as a measure to limit peoples’ gathering. Traders will be allowed to be present at the brokerage bureaus to process transactions. All necessary hygiene and sanitation precautions are in place at the bourse building.

Inspecting ships
In another development, Kuwaiti Ports Authority said Friday that a medical team is accompanying their crews and boarding ships arriving in the country in order to examine its crews, and to ensure that they are free of the emerging coronavirus, known as (COVID-19). The Authority’s spokesperson Nasser Al-Shulaimi said in a press statement that instructions had been issued in coordination with the Ministry of Health to inspect ships that will be stopped in a designated area, and their crews would make their inspection before being authorized to dock on Kuwaiti docks.

Shulaimi added that instructions were issued to keep crews inside ships as another “precautionary measure” to prevent transmission of the virus. The spokesperson noted that the authority’s highest management is monitoring the situation closely. – KUNA

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: Despite an announcement by Kuwait to suspend classes at schools and universities for two weeks from today, some teachers at various private schools in Kuwait have been asked to report to work today. Some said they have to report for the planning and reprogramming of school calendars to cope with the loss of the two weeks. “We were told to report in order to plan for the graduation and changes in school calendar activities,” a vice principal of a school in Kuwait told Kuwait Times on the condition of anonymity.

One school in Salwa said there was a plan to continue school activities in a hotel. “I hope it’s just a rumor, because definitely it’s against the ministry of education directive,” a teacher said. “I believe what this school is doing is wrong. They are deliberately going against the directive against public gatherings by having over 200 plus staff members go to work during these weeks. It could be very harmful for everyone’s health,” another teacher argued.

An announcement by a bilingual school said: In view of current conditions in the country and in line with the ministry of education’s decision to suspend studies for students and workers in all schools, it has been decided to adhere to the scheduled holiday which starts from March 1, 2020 to March 14, 2020, and to resume school on Sunday, March 15, 2020. To make up for this two-week period, it was decided to cancel the vacation that was scheduled for April 12 to April 16, 2020, and the other week will be compensated by attendance on five Saturdays.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Police arrested the suspected killer of a citizen whose burnt body was found in the Rehaya desert, the Interior Ministry’s relations and security information department said. Jahra and Farwaniya detectives carried out investigations, located and followed the suspect, then arrested him. The suspect confessed to killing the victim in a robbery.

He said he took the body wrapped in a carpet to the Rehaya desert, where he burned it. The suspect had three credit cards and KD 90 belonging to the victim. Meanwhile, another police statement said the partner of the suspect was also arrested, adding he was also involved in the killing.

Expressway accident
Qurain firemen responded to an accident on Fahaheel Expressway, where a vehicle hit a lamppost. Four injured Kuwaitis with fractures and wounds were handed to paramedics. Meanwhile, firemen from the Sulaibikhat and Doha fire stations put out a fire in the chimney of a restaurant in a Sulaibikhat supermarket. No injuries were reported.

KUWAIT: In the light of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) worldwide, passengers leaving Kuwait via airports or land outlets have to undertake to comply with the safety rules set forth by the ministries of health and interior upon their return. The regulations include remaining in a 14-day quarantine if need be pursuant to Act 8 (1969) and cooperation with the competent authorities in order to curb the spread of the virus and protect the public health in Kuwait, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Thursday. In case of failure to meet the obligations, travelers would be liable to legal measures stipulated in the above-mentioned law, the statement reminded.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday urged nationals who are currently abroad to return home. In light of a statement made earlier by Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Interior Anas Al-Saleh calling on citizens to abstain from travelling except for necessities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Kuwaiti nationals who are abroad to return to Kuwait.

The Foreign Ministry said the call was intended to spare them hazards of infection of coronavirus and relieve them of rapid and changing precautions for entry and departure for travelers, undertaken by states as precautions against the virus. Minister Saleh said in his statement earlier that calls for not traveling abroad came to ensure citizens safety and prevent them from being subjected to coronavirus countermeasures implemented by other nations.

Work proceeds normally
Meanwhile, work at the public sector is proceeding as regular and there is no need under current circumstances to stop it, official Kuwaiti government spokesperson Tareq Al-Mezrem said on Friday. The government is keen on safety of citizens and residents of the country and is following up on developments concerning the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Al-Mezrem said in a statement.

The government has already taken some precautionary measures in this regard, such as closing schools and relieving civil servants of electronic punch in/out for work temporarily. Public sector employees who are not compelled to show up at work are those who have been instructed by the Ministry of Health to quarantine themselves at their houses, the spokesperson explained further. – KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait called on its citizens to avoid traveling over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, a health ministry official said at a media conference yesterday. The state has not registered any new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, Assistant Secretary at the Health Ministry Dr Buthaina Al-Mudhaf said, adding the ministry and other state bodies are continuing to take measures to counter the coronavirus, and the efforts have been fruitful

The total number of people infected with the disease in Kuwait is 45, while no one has died, the health ministry said on Friday. Kuwait will continue to evacuate citizens from heavily-infected coronavirus countries, Mudhaf said yesterday, revealing that 35 travelers coming from Iraq were sent into quarantine, while 52 Kuwaitis arriving from Italy were under health inspection. All border entry points in Kuwait – whether air, land, or sea – are under continuous supervision to detect the coronavirus, she said, affirming that all those infected with the virus are in good health and recovering.

The infected patients are receiving topnotch medical care at specialized facilities dedicated to combating the coronavirus. “There are no fees for expats subjected to COVID-19 tests,” Mudhaf underlined, noting that that expats found infected will be dealt with according to the same protocol used with citizens. She urged all citizens and expatriates to follow preventative measures to halt the spread of the virus, stressing that the ministry is following up on all cases. Kuwait Catholic Church yesterday issued a statement announcing that in compliance with health ministry instructions to avoid gatherings, all churches will be closed in the period of March 1 to 14.

Director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) Dr Ahmad Al-Mandhari commended yesterday Kuwait’s concerned authorities for containing the outbreak of COVID-19. At a press conference held by the ministry of health on the sidelines of the WHO delegation’s visit to follow up the ministry’s actions, Mandhari acclaimed efforts made by the country’s government in implementing the organization’s recommendations regarding the spread of the coronavirus.

Procedures by Kuwait’s authorities include enhancing effective monitoring at all country outlets, hospitals, health centers and screening upon entry of all travelers coming from infected countries. Measures taken by Kuwaiti authorities are to train health workers on the frontlines, deal with contacts and put them in quarantine, isolate confirmed cases and spread public awareness, as well as other measures, Mandhari pointed out. He thanked Kuwait’s government for its tireless work in response to the outbreak, as it is one of the signatories of the 2005 International Health Regulations and is working to fulfill its obligations including responding to early detection of public health happenings quickly.

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem said yesterday that a special session of the parliament and Cabinet that was set for tomorrow to discuss the coronavirus will not be held. The session will not be held due to emergence of a host of new developments of paramount significance, thus an alternative session will be held at the parliament bureau, a date of which will be declared later after coordination with the government, he said in a statement. MPs had requested the special session to discuss government measures against the virus. Ghanem explained that there have been several developments at this level, namely completion of a government evacuation plan, preoccupation of the health personnel with anti-coronavirus precautions and accommodating Kuwaitis coming back home.

Meanwhile, Qatar has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, state media reported yesterday, after a 36-year-old Qatari man who was evacuated to Doha from Iran tested positive. Qatar on Thursday repatriated a number of its citizens from Iran – which is battling the worst outbreak outside China – and confined them to a 14-day period of quarantine, the government said. The health ministry said the infected patient had been admitted to hospital. “This had been expected because of the virus’ spread across the region and other countries, alongside the exponential increase in the number of cases,” the health ministry said according to the Qatar News Agency.

Iran yesterday reported nine new deaths from the novel coronavirus and 205 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, bringing its overall toll to 43 dead and 593 infected, but it dismissed as “rumors” a report the real death toll was much higher. The Gulf tally stands at 45 cases of coronavirus in Kuwait, 38 in Bahrain, six in Oman and two more in the United Arab Emirates for a total of 21. Yesterday, the UAE also announced it was suspending nursery school classes, and limiting activities at other schools. Authorities said that two planes will also be sent to Iran to collect Emiratis and other Gulf citizens trapped there after air routes were closed.

Cyclists taking part in the UAE Tour are awaiting the results of coronavirus tests from their hotel lockdown, after the event was abandoned Thursday when two staff from an Italian team tested positive. The race organizers said in a tweet yesterday that 167 of those quarantined had received negative results on coronavirus tests, but it did not say whether they were cyclists or staff members, nor how many others were awaiting results.

Saudi Arabia on Friday barred citizens from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council from entering two of Islam’s holiest cities amid fears over the new coronavirus, the foreign ministry said. The decision to halt access to Makkah and Madinah comes a day after the kingdom suspended visas for the year-round umrah pilgrimage, an unprecedented move that has left tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims around the world in limbo.

The foreign ministry announced in a statement “the temporary suspension of entry of (GCC) citizens to the cities of Makkah and Madinah”. The ministry statement did not specify whether this suspension extended to Saudi citizens. But it said the decision excludes “GCC citizens who have been in the kingdom for 14 consecutive days and did not show signs of coronavirus infection”. GCC citizens are allowed to enter the kingdom with their national identity document. But on Thursday, the government said they could only enter using their passports and not IDs.

Since it announced its first deaths from COVID-19, Iran has scrambled to bring the outbreak under control, shutting schools, suspending cultural and sporting events and halting meetings of the cabinet and parliament. The health ministry yesterday reported nine new deaths and a 53 percent jump in infections over the previous 24 hours, taking the overall totals to 43 deaths among 593 cases.

That was the highest number of new cases for a single day since Feb 19, when Iran announced its first two deaths in Qom, a center for Islamic studies and pilgrimages, including from abroad. Citing unnamed sources in Iran’s health system, the BBC’s Persian-language service said on Friday that at least 210 people had died in the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of the dead were in Qom or Tehran, the London-based broadcaster said.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour accused foreign media of spreading misinformation about the outbreak. “Given the rumors and false and contradictory content that may be published from satellite networks or media which are not well-intentioned towards Iranian people, I must say that what we publish as definitive statistics is based on the latest definitive findings of laboratory tests,” he said.

Fear of the virus is palpable on the streets of Tehran, which have been less crowded than usual as people apparently stayed at home. Traffic was flowing more freely than normal in the capital yesterday morning, when it usually chokes the streets at the start of the working week. The office of Tehran’s governor announced a reduction in working hours in a bid to reduce the chances of the virus spreading, state television reported.

Shops and pharmacies have been struggling to meet demand as people stock up on bleach, disinfectant wipes, face masks and other sanitary products, as well as non-perishable food. “Business… has hit rock bottom because of the coronavirus,” said Hadian, owner of one of Tehran’s now empty restaurants. “If the government had informed us earlier we would have tried to buy less. Now we have to throw away a lot of food every day and lose money,” he told AFP. “With this loss we have to pay the workers and rent too, and this is very difficult for us.”

Large posters have gone up on advertising billboards in the capital urging people to follow hygiene guidelines such as washing hands and not touching handrails and other objects in public places. In Bandar Abbas, on Iran’s Gulf coast, residents reportedly set alight a clinic rumored to be treating people infected with coronavirus on Friday night. “The unsubstantiated rumor that several coronavirus patients were being held at the clinic… provoked some residents to set fire to it,” Fars news agency said, adding the facility denied it had any such patients. Police and firefighters arrived and calm was restored before the blaze was extinguished, Fars reported.

Iran’s coronavirus death toll is the highest for any country other than China, where COVID-19 first emerged. One of Iran’s seven vice presidents, Massoumeh Ebtekar, and Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi are among several senior officials who have been infected. Jahanpour said yesterday that 205 cases had been detected in the previous 24 hours, increasing the total of confirmed infections to 593. Among the latest infections were a new outbreak of 22 cases in Golestan, a northeastern province on the Caspian Sea coast. – Agencies