Hotspot shutdown could take weeks

ARMY PLANE BRINGS IN MEDICAL GEAR FROM CHINA DON’T BLAME EXPATS, AUTHORITIES WARN Contact 51 of 55 new coronavirus cases

KUWAIT CITY, April 9, (Agencies): Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Bassel Al-Sabah says public health teams are carrying out intensive pandemic investigation in the two recently-identified hotspots of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Sheikh Dr Bassel, after touring the Kuwait International Fair Ground in Mishref and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital in Jabriya area to inspect the efforts being exerted to combat the pandemic, told reporters, “It is expected to take a few weeks to stem the tide of the pandemic in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and Mahboula areas, which have been placed under quarantine”.

He did not rule out the possibility of detecting more hotspots in the coming weeks, despite the unprecedented measures taken to contain the cases of community transmission.

The minister recalled the earlier warnings to caution that the areas densely populated with expatriates are most vulnerable to the outbreak, given the fact that the residents in these areas are less responsive to the public health guidelines.

Sheikh Dr Bassel said, “The living conditions and social habits of the residents in these areas make them more liable to coronavirus infection than others”, affirming the ability of his ministry to conduct more COVID-19 tests and address any surges in cases.

Regarding the evolving situation of the pandemic worldwide, he said, “The data received constantly show that this pandemic is unparalleled in terms of the scale and speed of its spread. In Kuwait, the figures coming out so far are by no means final; they depend on the tests conducted and the persons who showed up. However, there are many lone wolves everywhere”.

The minister highlighted that, “Nearly 50 percent of the people who contracted COVID-19 worldwide are asymptomatic, which is where the problem lies. They could unknowingly transmit the infection to others”.

He stressed that the only way to defeat the pandemic is to stay at home and maintain social distancing, indicating that this was the main theme of the video conference call he had with the senior officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) last week. Sheikh Dr Bassel affirmed that Ministry of Health holds open sessions throughout the day to assess the efficacy of the measures adopted and analyze their outcomes with the intention of maximizing the positive aspects.

He highlighted the importance of precautionary measures in addressing any eventuality, noting that the situation in Kuwait is generally better than many other countries in terms of the number of cases and fatalities.

The minister appreciated the efforts exerted by the medical cadres who have been in the frontline of the battle against the pandemic to save the lives of citizens and expatriates.

He stressed the need for everyone to commit to health precautions.

Citing global studies, Sheikh Dr Bassel said the current crisis is expected to continue until the end of summer or the year end, adding that some studies predict the number of cases worldwide to hit three million by the end of April and then double in the coming month.

In conclusion, he expressed hope for finding a cure in the near future.

Artificial plasma

Kuwait Central Blood Bank (KCBB) has started producing plasma artificially to help treat patients suffering from the novel coronavirus, Director of KCBB Blood Transfusion Division Dr Reem AlRadhwan announced on Wednesday.

The process entails collecting plasma from donors who were formerly COVID-19 patients and then transfusing it into the blood of patients to strengthen their immunity, she said in a statement to KUNA.

“According to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), the plasma donation from former patients should start soon after the end of their home quarantine.

“When a person contracts a disease, their bodies start producing antibodies to face down the new enemy,” she said.

“In the case of the respiratory disease, COVID-19, a former patient keeps a high level of antibodies three weeks after their recovery, and then the antibodies start taking a downward slant towards the normal level.

“Therefore, the plasma generating process requires setting a time schedule for each donor,” Dr Al-Radhwan explained, noting that a recovered person can help treat three patients.

The plasma donation is conducted at the KCBB Headquarters in Al-Jabriya Area, she said, appreciating the efforts of the medical teams who contributed to the start of this process in Kuwait.

Medical supplies

A Kuwait Army transport plane returned home from China Wednesday, carrying tons of medical equipment and supplies to help the government curb spread of coronavirus, the Ministry of Defense said.

This is the seventh army plane as part of repatriation and delivery operations, aimed at providing logistical support for government bodies, the ministry said in a statement.

This journey, it added, was in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Health to provide medical equipment and supplies.

Earlier Wednesday, Kuwait Ambassador in Beijing Sameeh Hayat said the transport aircraft, which took off from the Chinese city of Guangzhou, was loaded with 55 tons of medical supplies.

Hayat, in a statement to KUNA, said he was supervising an air corridor between China and Kuwait to support the “strategic storage” in the Arab Gulf country to help it curb the spread of coronavirus.

Don’t blame expats

The Public Prosecutor has released a Kuwaiti woman on KD 500 bail after accusing her of insulting the Filipino workers, in a video clip, which she published on social media, reports Al-Qabas daily.

Meanwhile, the judicial and security sources have warned everyone about the phenomenon of insulting expatriates and blaming them for the spread of the coronavirus and/or similar arguments on visa trade and others which have emerged during the past few days due to the severity of the virus crisis and its repercussions.

The official sources said the country rejects hate speech and racist comments and anyone indulging in such practices will be dealt with severely because the coronavirus is a global pandemic and not limited to certain areas or countries saying everyone is prone to becoming a victim of this deadly infection.

The officials sources said what the authorities are doing in terms of quarantining certain areas is first and foremost to protect the residents of these areas, and are provided with health and food care. The security measures taken by the authorities are not to discriminate anyone.

At the same time official sources warned against exaggerating the issue and singling out a particular nationality – Indian, Egyptian and Bangladeshi or any other – as being “responsible” in one way or another for the spread of the virus.

A sociology professor at Kuwait University told the daily what he called weak souls “discriminate” others in times of crises because they are looking for a scapegoat.

He said great cautions should be taken against this attitude and added, “If we read what is written in the media, we are exposed to fearful ‘posts’, videos, and corresponding tweets between Kuwaitis and Egyptians who exchange false accusations. This is what must be stopped by the concerned authorities immediately, in order to protect the social fabric, and to protect the humanitarian image of Kuwait.”

He added, Kuwait provides full healthcare to all those infected and reminded that Kuwait also provides financial aid to the World Health Organization, and many countries that need help these days.