Contact cases boost new finds to 112
Thirty-four in Central Prison for curfew violation
KUWAIT CITY, April 8, (Agencies): The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced Wednesday that 112 people were infected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 855.
Health Ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said in the daily briefing that 21 patients were in intensive care. Those currently receiving treatment at hospitals reached 743 patients, said the spokesperson, adding that 911 individuals have completed quarantine. One death has been reported so far.
Regarding those infected, Dr Al-Sanad said that one case related to a Kuwaiti citizen who recently arrived from abroad and 105 cases were in contact with a coronavirus case.
As for case of epidemical investigation, the Health Ministry spokesman indicated that the tally reached six patients including two Bengali nationals, two Indians, an Egyptian and an illegal resident.
Earlier Wednesday, the ministry announced the recovery of six new patients, bringing the total to 111 recoveries.
Ready to double staff
Director General of Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) Lt Gen Khaled Al-Mekrad said Tuesday the directorate was ready to double the numbers of teams delivering medicines to homes of citizens when need be.
“The drug distribution process has been well underway since March 29 as per the set plan without any obstacles,” he said in a press release following his tour of the pharmacy of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital to inspect the process.
Lt Gen Al-Mekrad reminded the citizens of the importance to stay at home and order the medicines they might need via the phone numbers specified by the Ministry of Health for this purpose.
During the inspection tour, he conveyed the greetings of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh to the teams delivering drugs to patients across the country commending the coordination with the Ministry of Health.
KFSD embarked on the process to deliver drugs to homes of the persons who suffer from chronic diseases with a view to making life easier for them amid the restrictions on movement enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Legal barriers
Regarding the calls made by some people to deport confirmed cases of COVID-19 among expatriates, which could lead to victims concealing their illness, parliamentary sources highlighted the constitutional and legal barriers that prevent the deportation of expatriates infected with coronavirus to continue their treatment in their country.
In this regard, an official source from Ministry of Health asserted that the ministry would not recommend this procedure because the disease differs from AIDS and tuberculosis (pulmonary tuberculosis), which have been a major reason for deporting expatriates or preventing them from securing work permits in Kuwait.
The parliamentary sources said, “The deportation of expatriates immediately after discovering they are infected with coronavirus collides with the constitutional and legal texts that make this approach non-negotiable. Also, considering the humanitarian aspect of the matter, it will be difficult to take such a measure which is unheard-of anywhere in the world.”
They went on to say, “In the context of seeking to limit gatherings, which is a major reason behind the high number of transmission cases, a number of MPs studied the possibility of making a proposal that will allow deporting expatriates infected with coronavirus in order to reduce pressure on the health system of the country, and serve as a deterrent to reduce the gatherings and stepping outside their homes unless under extreme necessity.”
Regarding this matter, the constitutional expert Dr Muhammad Al-Faili indicated that coming up with parliamentary proposals over such issues is not justified, given that the matter is already covered by the existing laws.
In response to the question about the inclination to adopt proposals based on desire or law to deport expatriates who are proven to be infected with COVID-19, he said, “Such proposals are a repetition of existing legal texts due to which they are not justified, because we are in the process of duplicating legislation.”
Dr Al-Faili affirmed that the current residency law allows Minister of Interior to deport an expatriate administratively if found that such an action is in the public interest.
He explained, “There is a problem with this text in the laws governing residency in the country. It contradicts the Constitution due to lack of the possibility for filing an administrative appeal against it. If this part is left out at the moment, duplication of the proposals is not advisable.”
2 clinics to work 24/7
Director of Farwaniya Health Area Dr Muhammad Al-Ajmi, announced the extension of working hours at two health centers in the North and South Jleeb AlShuyoukh which will work around the clock throughout the week to provide medical services to nearly 330,000 people living in the area, reports Al-Anba daily.
Dr Al-Ajmi said the two health centers will provide general medicine for diabetes and chronic diseases as well as support medical services such as nursing, laboratory, and pharmacy, in addition to providing dental services at the Jleeb AlShuyoukh North Center.
34 in Central Prison
The Public Prosecution Office has ordered the detention of 34 people – Kuwaitis and expatriates – for 21 days at the Central Prison for violating the partial curfew, reports Al-Anba daily.
The Juvenile Prosecution has also decided to refer 8 juveniles for 10 days to the social care home for the same reason.
KTTAA demands KD 67 million
Kuwait Travel & Tourism Agencies Association (KTTAA), through an official letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), demanded that the airlines should refund about KD 67 million – the value of canceled tickets issued to citizens and expatriates for the months of March and April; but the demand was ignored due to lack of financial liquidity in most of these companies in light of the huge losses suffered by the aviation sector throughout the world, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting sources.
Sources revealed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) asked KTTAA to wait and not ask the companies about refunds at the moment, in order to overcome the losses of airlines in all countries – estimated at $35 billion – due to the coronavirus pandemic.