42 repatriates in institutional quarantine
LOCAL BANKS MULL POSTPONEMENT OF LOAN PAYMENT AL ZOUR WORKERS HIT
62 COVID-19 recoveries in Kuwait Monday KUWAIT CITY, April 20, (Agencies): The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health Sunday, said that among the citizens who recently arrived in the country, 42 were transferred to compulsory institutional quarantine on suspicion of coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, while 1,187 were converted to home quarantine.
In a statement to KUNA, Health Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs and General Supervisor of Medical Examination Centers at Kuwait International Airport, Dr Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, affirmed that four cases were transferred to complete their treatment in the hospitals for other health reasons. Al-Mutairi stated that the total number of citizens who were on the first 11 evacuation flights amounted to 1,233. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health on Monday reported 80 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, bringing the total of infections to 1,995, while two deaths were reported as well, bringing the total fatalities’ toll up to nine.
During its daily briefing, Health Ministry spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said that 39 patients were in intensive care, 26 of them are in critical condition.
Those currently receiving treatment at hospitals reached 1,619 patients said the spokesperson. Monday’s death cases are for a 49-year-old Bangladeshi male and a 55-year-old Indian male; both were receiving treatment at ICU.
Earlier Monday, Health Minister Dr Bassel Al-Sabah announced the recovery of 62 patients, bringing the total to 367 recoveries.
Banks mull postponing loan payment
Information gathered revealed that local banks are considering postponing the repayment of loans for large companies by an additional three more months (until next September) after studying the economic situation of the country. The decision to postpone the current repayment since last March is effective until the end of June, reports Al-Anba daily. The daily quoting a source pointed out that the banks’ vision is not clear as to the current condition of companies, especially as most of them have been closed under the implementation of the Council of Ministers’ directives to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the country.
He stressed that the banks responded quickly to deal with the economic crises resulting from the spread of coronavirus in an attempt to alleviate burdens on the economic sectors in these difficult times, and to protect private sector.
The source reiterated that local banks decided at the end of last month to postpone the loan installments of citizens, residents and small and medium-sized companies for a period of six months, while bearing the financial cost of that due to the economic repercussions resulting from the spread of the coronavirus. The initiative covers cancellation of interest and profits resulting from the postponement and other fees.
Al Zour workers hit
Informed sources disclosed that the number of coronavirus infections at the sites of oil projects began to rise remarkably, as it was confirmed that 17 to 19 workers were infected in one of the three Al Zour projects, warning the rope might be on the tractor, reports Al-Rai daily.
The same sources pointed out that oil sector is between two fires, either the projects continue by taking all precautionary measures to confront the spread of “Corona” among workers estimated at tens of thousands or the pace of work is slowed voluntarily on projects amid precaution, taking into account such a step will delay their completion.
They saw that oil sector differs from other sectors in the vitality of its projects and difficulty in closing them, but it adopts strict militarization measures, so the number of infected persons are announced daily within the statement of the Ministry of Health.
They stated that oil sector has proven highly professional in dealing with this global crisis but the question is whether the sector has the ability to stop its vital projects voluntarily and bear the delay without blame or libel of responsibilities as it is a case of epidemiological, or continue to work at the minimum and bear the consequences of that?
The CEO of Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) Hatem Al-Awadi affirmed that the company operates according to the health framework and procedures followed and established by the Ministry of Health in dealing with confirmed cases of infection, as well as suspected coronavirus cases.
MoH examines repatriates
The Ministry of Health has begun procedures for examining Kuwaitis returning home by interviewing each passenger and taking note of the sickness and travel history and carrying out some health checks such as measuring the temperature and screening them and studying whether they will be subject to domestic or institutional quarantine, or to be isolated if they show positive symptoms of the virus, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
With regard to the nature of the health status of the returnees, there are reports that several suspected corona cases have been referred to the Jaber Hospital for examination and “PCR” test after sorting and classifying the cases.
However, this depends on the symptoms they show while some of the returnees have been transferred to the institutional quarantine in the designated centers, and transferred others to the obligatory home quarantine according to the health protocols prepared in this regard.
Dr Al-Sanad affirmed the Ministry of Health is keenness to use the latest technology to monitor the movement of home quarantined people through the use of
an electronic bracelet and the “Shlounak” (how are you) application that was launched last Sunday, which is mandatory for home quarantined people.
It also allows the quarantined persons to enter their vital data and communicate with medical teams in the Ministry of Health when any symptoms appear on them.
The Zain Hospital also received first cases of Kuwaitis who had gone for treatment abroad when they returned to the country – part of the first phase of evacuation of citizens who were stranded abroad following the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Well-informed health sources revealed one of the patients, a woman came from Bahrain, and she suffers from kidney problems and needs regular dialysis, so she was transferred to the Zain Hospital with her escort (companion) who accompanied her on the same flight.
The sources indicated that Zain Hospital has been designated as an institutional quarantine for evacuees – who were receiving treatment abroad and suffering from cancer and kidney diseases, due to the location of the hospital near hospitals specialized in these diseases.