Expat deportations denied
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MALLS, HAIR-CARE, ARCADES SHUT – FIVE-AT-A-TIME RESTAURANTS, COFFEE SHOPS
KUWAIT CITY, March 15, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs Mariam Al- Aqeel has decried social media reports on an alleged plan to deport expatriates as “totally untrue”. Al-Aqeel, who doubles as Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Service Affairs, said in a press statement that no decision whatsoever had been made in this regard.
The minister even underlined that she was not in a position to take such a decision, urging mass media and social media to ensure credibility under these circumstances Kuwait and the entire world are currently experiencing.
To avoid confusion and chaos in the society, everyone should seek true information and news from official sources, Al- Aqeel requested. The Public Authority of Manpower also dismissed such reports as being “divorced from reality”, urging people to steer away from rumors and fake information just to protect public security and safety.
In a related development, Al-Aqeel denied that they have received any requests from embassies here asking to evacuate their nationals from the country.
In a statement, Al-Aqeel affirmed that Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge to handle such matters, which is in direct communication with diplomatic missions in Kuwait. Al-Aqeel called on all media outlets to be careful when publishing any news in this current circumstances that Kuwait and the world is going through.
The minister urged media outlets for the need to verify accurate information from main sources in order to avoid creating confusion among people
Eight new cases
Eight new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were discovered in Kuwait, bringing the total of infections to 112, said the Health Ministry Sunday. In a press conference, Health Ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad revealed that six of the newly announced cases were of Kuwaiti citizens returning from the UK and individuals who came in contact with those infected.
One case was of a Kuwaiti recently returning from France via the UAE and the other was of a fellow citizen returning from Iran, he said, adding that the latter’s case was among those quarantined in Khairan resort.
Meanwhile, two coronavirus patients recovered from the global-spreading infection, bringing the total of those overcoming the disease to nine in Kuwait, said Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al- Sabah Sunday. Speaking to KUNA, Sheikh Basel affirmed that laboratory and X-ray test results had shown that the two patients were clear of the virus. The two will be sent to a specialized recuperation ward for COVID-19 patients in preparation for hospital discharge, he noted. The Health Minister revealed that four of eight cases in the coronavirus ICU were released and moved to other wards.
Shops closed
The government decided Saturday to shut down shopping malls, arcades, barber shops and salons in yet another bid to contain and tackle spread of novel coronavirus, spokesman Tareq Al-Mezrem said. Al-Mezrem, in a news conference following a Cabinet meeting, said the government obliged restaurants and coffee shops not to receive more than five customers at once.
Al-Mezrem was address the news conference jointly with Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Saud Al-Harbi. He said shopping centers and markets would all be closed with the exception of food stores. He said the government would also close children entertainment centers and arcades, in addition to barber shops and women’s salons.
The hairdressers will be closed Sunday. Al-Mezrem said restaurants and coffee shops should not receive more than five customers at once, while people in queue should leave at least one-meter distance between each other. The spokesman criticized some families who held wedding receptions at their houses. “The aim of closing the wedding halls is to prevent gathering because meetings help in the spread of the virus,” he added.
Hope, optimism
The global recovery rates from the novel coronavirus call for hope and optimism, especially with some 72,000 overcoming the disease, said Kuwait’s Health Ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad Sunday.
In a press conference, Dr Al-Sanad affirmed that the coronavirus had become, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), a pandemic affecting hundreds of countries across the globe.
Outside of China, there are some 64,000 cases, while in China there are about 81,000 cases, he said. In the eastern Mediterranean, which has 22 states including Kuwait, 17 countries confirmed coronavirus cases, indicated Al-Sanad, adding that there were five countries, which have yet to confirm or announce COVID-19 cases.
So far, there were 9,081 swipes and samples taken from those in Al-Khairan, Al-Mangaf, and Al-Joun quarantine centers in Kuwait, stated the official who renewed his calls for Kuwaitis and expatriates to remain at their homes and places of dwelling to prevent spread of the infection.
Dr Al-Sanad revealed that the number of those clearing the quarantine had amounted to 324 in total. He went on to say that it was paramount for the populous to follow instructions and procedures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. More recently, a 190-passenger flight coming from New York had been subjected to coronavirus countermeasures according to medical protocols, he affirmed.
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