Initial cases in Kuwait, Bahrain

Dubai, Feb. 24: Kuwait and Bahrain confirmed on Monday their first novel covid-19 cases, health ministries in the two Gulf states announced, adding all had come from Iran. Kuwait reported three infections and Bahrain one.

“Tests conducted on those coming from the Iranian city of Mashhad showed there were three confirmed cases of the Covid19 (COVID-19),” the Kuwaiti health ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter. It said the cases were of a 53-yearold Kuwaiti man, a 61year-old Saudi citizen and a

21-year-old stateless Arab. “All three cases are under constant observation by the health authority,” the ministry added.

Bahrain’s healthy ministry also reported the country’s first COVID-19 case on Monday after a “citizen arriving from Iran was suspected of having contracted the virus based on emerging symptoms”. The patient was transferred to a medical centre for “immediate testing”, which proved positive, the ministry added. Iran’s confirmed toll rose to 12 on Monday, with the outbreak prompting travel bans from neighbours. Last week, Kuwait announced a ban on entry of all ships from the Islamic republic and enforced a ban on flights to and from the country.