By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday announced eight new cases of
coronavirus detected over the past 24 hours, Ministry of Health Spokesman Dr
Abdullah Al-Sanad announced on Thursday, bringing the number of confirmed cases
recorded in the country to 80. Sanad said at a daily press briefing that three
of the infected persons are Kuwaitis who traveled to Iran, while the other five
are Egyptians who were in close contact with an infected Egyptian who had come
from Azerbaijan via Dubai.

He revealed five cases have recovered from the infection,
adding four infected cases are in the intensive care unit, including one in
critical condition and three stable, in addition to 918 cases still at
quarantine centers.

Kuwait will halt all commercial flights to and from the
state starting Friday and until further notice, with the exception of cargo
flights, state news agency KUNA said yesterday. Authorities also announced a
public holiday in the country from March 12 to March 26, with work resuming on
March 29, KUNA said, adding that entities providing vital services would remain
open. It said people were banned from going to restaurants and cafes, including
those inside malls.

The health ministry also imposed mandatory medical tests for
coronavirus for expatriates who returned to the country from Feb 27 onward. The
ministry established testing centers at the international fairgrounds in
Mishref to test expats in accordance with their place of residence from 8.00 am
until 6.00 pm. Expats must bring their civil IDs and passports with them. On
Thursday, expats residing in Jahra governorate who returned from Egypt, Lebanon
and Syria were being tested.