MP queries MERS death – Records sought

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 21: MP Hamdan Azmi has forwarded questions to Health Minister Ali Al- Obeidi on the death of a 74-yearold Kuwaiti at the Military Hospital due to MERS-CoV (coronavirus), especially since the health officials have allegedly kept it a secret from the public.

Al-Azmi disclosed he has obtained information that the victim was a camel trader and he did not leave the country so he might have acquired the disease from camels, asserting this is more dangerous.

He demanded for the patient’s records, copies of his medical reports including test and x-ray results, and names of the members of the medical team who was in charge of the patient. He asked why the patient was not transferred to a specialized hospital after being diagnosed with MERS-CoV; in addition to the number of such cases in Kuwait, procedures taken concerning those who lived with the patient and awareness programs to prevent spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, MP Nabeel Al-Fadel said the agricultural plots distributed earlier will be withdrawn if proven that they contain oil deposits or are part of the proposed site for the construction of the GCC railway. He explained the government has the right to reclaim these plots under such circumstances, stressing the beneficiaries will either receive compensation or another land will be allocated for them. He was quick to add though that if the beneficiaries used the land for other purposes like the construction of recreational facilities and other non-agricultural activities, they will not be entitled to the compensation or alternative land.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim and Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff