KUWAIT: Anyone caught breaching the curfew decided Saturday evening will be jailed for up to three years and fined KD 10,000 pursuant to Civil Defense Law, warned the interior minister. The warning was given by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh during a press conference held following an extraordinary cabinet meeting earlier Saturday.

He added that the military is on standby to help security forces in putting the curfew in place, quoting the cabinet as having tasked the National Guard with aiding the Ministry of Interior in this regard. He stated that the curfew was decided as a result of non-compliance with health guidelines and instructions aimed at averting gatherings. The minister noted that he would relieve violators of residency law of any fine so that they could leave the country immediately.

The cabinet had decided Saturday to impose an 11-hour curfew due to non-compliance with Ministry of Health's instructions to stay indoors, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh announced Saturday. Saleh, addressing a news conference after the cabinet meeting, said the curfew would be imposed from 5:00 pm until 4:00 am. He meanwhile said a public holiday, due to end on March 26, would be extended for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah said a strengthened health system would undoubtedly make it easy for overseas citizens to return home at an early date. Speaking at the press conference following the cabinet meeting on response to the novel coronavirus, the minister reassured that his ministry had worked out a blueprint to evacuate citizens abroad.

Urging everyone to take the matter seriously, the minister said the evacuation plan would give top priority to patients in critical situation, old people, minors and people with disabilities. - KUNA