Firm steps set to combat coronavirus
Avoid Iran
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 22, (KUNA): Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Bassel Al-Sabah has announced that his ministry is monitoring closely the latest updates about the new coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and has taken firm precautionary and preventive measures to counter the epidemic.
In statements to KUNA , the minister asserted keenness to do all in his power to maintain the country’s health security and protect it against the new disease through enforcement of a multi-faceted and watertight plan.
Sheikh Bassel Al-Sabah pointed out the ministry is in contact with the World Health Organization around the clock to get updates about the global situation of COVID-19 outbreak.
He added that Kuwait is also contacting with other Gulf countries to follow up on recommendations, relevant precautions, and practical steps to curb the spread of the virus.
Cooperating
The ministry is cooperating at the same time with all relative national bodies to take all precautionary measures to help keep the country free from COVID-19, Sheikh Dr Bassel Al-Sabah said, reiterating that so far no case of the novel coronavirus infection was registered in Kuwait.
He stressed that the ministry is committed to highest level of transparency with regard the recently discovery of infected cases in some neighboring countries.
The ministry provide citizens and residents with all the information needed to avoid infection, he said.
He pointed out that the ministry continues to apply all preventive measures to prevent the transmission of the virus to the country, the most important of which is recommending not to travel to areas where the disease has appeared, except for extreme necessity.
The ministry also takes all preventive measures adopted internationally with those coming from those areas, he noted.
The minister also called on citizens and residents to follow official statements issued by the ministry.
Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) has decided to suspend the movement of passengers to and from Iran via land ports as of Thursday sine die after five infection cases with, and two deaths from, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed there.
“The decision is a precautionary measure aiming to prevent possible spread of the illness to passengers,” KPA said in a statement.
Similarly, Kuwait Airways, the country’s flag carrier, suspended all flights to Iran based on advice of the (Kuwaiti) Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Earlier Thursday, the Ministry of Health cautioned against travel to the Iranian city of Qom, some 140 km to the south of Tehran where two deaths were confirmed.
“Out of keenness on the safety of the citizens of, and the residents in, Kuwait, we will quarantine all arrivals from Qom until we verify that they are clear of the virus,” the ministry said in a statement.
Confirmed
The Iranian health authorities confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 in Qom and Arak cities, which took to five the total number of cases in the country; one of those infected succumbed to the illness in Qom Wednesday and other one died Thursday.
Kuwait Embassy in Tehran called Friday on all Kuwaiti citizens inside Iran and in need of assistance to maintain contact with the embassy through the following emergency phone numbers: +982187887995, +989121325565, +989120058863 and +96599642090.
In a statement received by KUNA, the embassy said that it has established a temporary office in the city of Mashhad to provide better assistance to Kuwaiti citizens there.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Health (MoH) on Thursday dismissed what has been circulated through an audio recording regarding a coronavirus case in Kuwait at northern Al-Jahra Hospital.
In a statement, the Ministry has stressed that “no coronavirus case has been registered in Kuwait so far”.
The ministry affirmed that it would take legal measures against those who circulate such rumors, which cause fears and concerns amongst people, and pose a threat to health stability in the country.
The Ministry appealed to citizens and expats to neglect such rumors, and get information from its official sources, according to the statement.