Coronavirus: Kuwait total of confirmed cases rises to 195

Four new recoveries announced as country takes extreme measures to curb virus

A view of the empty streets in Kuwait City taken from Al Hamra Tower, its tallest commercial building, during a government-imposed curfew to slow the spread of the coronavirus. AP

Kuwait announced four new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total of infected people in the country to 195.

“Two of the four individuals are Kuwaiti citizens – one had returned from Saudi Arabia and the other from the United Kingdom,” Kuwait’s health ministry said in a statement.

The remaining two cases are Kuwaiti residents – one Filipino and the other Somali, the ministry said.

Four new recoveries were also announced on Wednesday, raising the total number to 43. Six people remain in intensive care.

“The recovered patients will be discharged in two days’ time,” Health Minister Basel Al Sabah said.

The country has yet to record any deaths from the virus, which has killed almost 19,000 worldwide.

Of those who tested positive, 152 are still receiving medical treatment.

The Kuwaiti public were urged to follow the ministry’s strict health instructions as well as advice from World Health Organisation, the minister said.

Health authorities say they have conducted more than 17,000 tests across the country.

Kuwait has taken extensive measures to curb and halt the spread of the virus.

It enacted an 11-hour curfew on Saturday aimed at limiting public gatherings and its national guard will help the interior ministry to enforce the measure.

Those who break the rules could face up to three years in jail and fines of KD10,000 (Dh116,472) the interior minister confirmed.

Government and private companies had suspended their work until Thursday, March 26, and the ban has been extended for an additional two weeks.

Schools and universities across the country have also shut in the face of the crisis.

Official recorded cases in the Gulf have exceeded 1,800 and there have been five deaths from the virus.

Saudi Arabia has reported 767 coronavirus infections, the highest number in the Gulf, and faces the double blow of virus-led shutdowns and crashing oil prices.

The UAE recorded 50 new cases on Tuesday, raising the total number of infected people to 248.

The country also announced four more people had recovered.