KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health said yesterday that 25 people were infected by the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, in the last 24 hours. This brings the country's tally of confirmed virus cases up to 342, the ministry's spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said in the daily briefing.

Among the new cases are 10 patients who are under investigation to reveal how they contracted the virus, including six Indian nationals, one Bangladeshi and one Egyptian resident. The fresh cases also include four cases of Kuwaiti nationals related to travel to the UK, one case of a Kuwaiti national related to travel to France and one case of a Filipino resident related to travel to France.

They also include seven cases of Indian residents in contact with a confirmed case under investigation, one case of a Bangladeshi resident in contact with a confirmed case under investigation, and one case of an Indian resident in contact with a confirmed case travelled to India.

Earlier yesterday, Kuwaiti Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah announced the recovery of one case from the novel coronavirus, raising the country's total recoveries to 81. The minister said lab tests and analyses had shown the recovery of the patient. The already treated case will be admitted to a rehabilitation ward before being discharged from hospital within a couple of days' time, the minister added.

In addition, Dr Sanad said that 261 virus patients are still receiving necessary treatment, while 15 others are in intensive care units; including five in a critical condition. The spokesman; once again, urged citizens and residents alike to follow the guidelines and instructions of Kuwaiti health authorities and World Health Organization, primarily maintaining social distancing and home quarantine in order to curb the spread of the virus. - KUNA