KUWAIT: Kuwait said on Tuesday 475 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in the past 24 hours, raising the total tally to 68,774, with four people succumbing to the pandemic as the death toll reached 465, according to a health ministry official. Kuwaiti nationals, with 323 cases, occupy 68 percent of the cases recorded, while non-Kuwaitis, with 152 cases, occupy 32 percent of the total caseload, ministry spokesman Abdullah Al-Sanad said. The figures include people who have come into contact with infected individuals, and others whose source of infection is currently being investigated.

In terms of health zones, 139 cases were reported in Al-Ahmadi, 106 in Farwaniya, 101 in Jahra, 101 in Hawalli and 63 in the Capital, added the spokesman. He went on to reveal that 131 cases are currently in the intensive care unit, while the number of active cases stands at 7,983. Earlier, the ministry said 587 people recovered from the virus in the last day, upping the total number of those to have overcome the disease to 60,326.

In regards to those under mandatory institutional quarantine, Dr Sabad said the total number of people who have ended their quarantine period and were discharged in the past 24 hours reached 17. This comes after all preventive measures to make sure they were cured from the virus were taken, including the completion of a period of no less than 14 days at mandatory home quarantine after leaving the center.

Some 2,452 swab tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, out of a total of 514,051 so far, added the spokesman. He reiterated the strict need to abide by health precautions, urging nationals and expatriates alike to follow social distancing rules as the only way to keep the virus at bay. - KUNA