Latest News
- Court Sentences Bank Employee To 5 Years For Embezzling 100,000...
- Fake ‘Sheikh’ Sentenced To 2-yr As Court Overturns Verdict
- Justice Ministry New Service On The Sahel App
- Ministry Probes 68 Cases Of Illegal Charity, Funds Collection
- Globally, Kuwait Is Among The Top Consumers Of Incense And Oud O...
- Decrease Seen In Foreign Investment
- Kuwait Customs Seized 2 Containers Laden With Tobacco At Shuwaik...
- Unpaid Salaries, Accountant Beaten Up By Workers
- The Sahel App Was Not Hacked, A Spokesman Claims
- Four Expats Arrested For Stealing Copper Cables Worth 60,000 Din...
- Indian National Died In Abdalli Car Accident
- Work Permits And Foreign Worker Transfers Are Amended By PAM
Partial Curfew, Airport Closure Contemplated As Infections Soar
Increasing number of infections in recent weeks has placed the government and health authorities on edge over fears of a pandemic resurgence in the country. Discussions are said to be underway on the possibility of reintroducing at least a partial curfew and suspending all flights at the airport.
While December recorded the lowest number of infections since last May, the figures nearly doubled in January. Available data shows that the number of infections recorded in the first month of 2021 jumped to 14,673 from the 7,592 infections recorded a month.
Soaring number of infections has been attributed to a number of reasons, including the increase in number of international arrivals, questionable PCR tests by some passengers, and the imprudent attitude of many people to health guidelines and safety precautions mandated by health authorities. Authorities also fear that the discovery of more contagious versions of coronavirus among passengers returning from Europe and Africa to Kuwait could signal the potential for a dangerous turn of infections.
The Cabinet’s Corona Emergency Committee (CEC), which is the final authority on taking decisions regarding the pandemic, is reportedly reviewing the evolving situation. Health Minister Sheikh Dr. Basil Al-Sabah is expected to deliver a full report on the epidemiological situation to the Cabinet and the CEC could decide to re-introduce a partial curfew and suspend all flights in and out of the country, as early as Thursday, 5 February.
Though Kuwait has said it would conduct PCR tests on all arrivals, currently passengers arriving in Kuwait need to carry a PCR certificate attesting to their health and with the test conducted 72 hours prior to their departure. Despite this stringent regulation, health authorities have noticed several cases where passengers carrying negative PCR certificates have tested positive on being tested in Kuwait.
This has raised questions on the reliability of tests conducted by many foreign test centers and increased calls for all such tests to be conducted only through laboratories approved by the Ministry of Health through its MUNA program of accredited laboratories in many countries. The program allows authorities to verify all the details of the PCR test before the arrival of a passenger to Kuwait.
Kuwait with its population of over 4.5 million people, which has reported more than 166,650 infections and 960 deaths since the start of the pandemic is seen to have a relatively high infection rate with 38,687 infected persons per million population.
Â
SOURCEÂ TIMESKUWAIT
Â
Trending News
-
Eid Al Fitr 2024: Crescent Moon Not Sighted In Sau...
08 April 2024
-
Kuwait Implements Home Biometrics Services Ahead O...
14 April 2024
-
When Will Eid Al Fitr 2024 Take Place In Qatar, Ba...
08 April 2024
-
On Sunday, The Meteorological Department Warns Of...
07 April 2024
-
Kuwait Airways Provides Update On Flight Schedule...
14 April 2024
-
Kuwait Airways Introduces Convenient Home Luggage...
15 April 2024
-
Gathering For Eid Al-Fitr Prayers: Kuwaiti Citizen...
10 April 2024
-
Winners Of Kuwait National Assembly 2024 Elections
06 April 2024
-
An Egyptian Expat Dies At Kuwait's Airport
11 April 2024
-
Bay Zero Water Park Kuwait: Summer Season Opens Ei...
11 April 2024
Comments Post Comment