By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Newly-appointed Health Minister Khaled Al-Saeed yesterday tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed under home quarantine for 10 days, the health ministry announced. The minister, who was a top official on the health ministry committee fighting the pandemic before his appointment to the Cabinet last week, attended a Cabinet meeting on Monday. He also attended National Assembly meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Under Kuwaiti health protocol rules, all those who contacted the minister must undergo home quarantine for at least 10 days, besides undergoing the necessary COVID-19 tests. The health ministry yesterday reported 2,413 new coronavirus cases, the largest number on a single day since the outbreak of the pandemic almost two years ago. The ministry said that the percentage of infection has soared to 8.8 percent from just under one percent two weeks ago.

The tally of new cases yesterday is more than all cases reported in the two months that preceded the new wave which began two weeks ago, according to official figures. The COVID-19 ministerial emergency committee met yesterday to discuss the new escalation in coronavirus cases and to look into measures needed to curb the surge in new cases. The health ministry also said the number of patients receiving treatment in intensive care units rose to 11, while those in hospitals increased to 53 cases, a sharp rise compared to two weeks ago.

Earlier this week, the government suspended all social events and celebrations held in enclosed areas from Jan 9 to Feb 28, adding that the decision will be revised later in light of the pandemic situation. The government also decreed that all passengers arriving to Kuwait must produce a negative PCR test result taken within the past 72 hours. It had already decided that people arriving in Kuwait must undergo home quarantine for 10 days, but if a PCR test carried out three days after arrival is negative, the quarantine ends.

The government has sent out messages in various languages urging people to strictly observe health conditions, mainly wearing facemasks and sanitizing hands. It also urged the public to maintain social distancing. The health ministry has encouraged people to take the third booster vaccination dose to strengthen immunity against the virus.

It said people aged 50 and over can take the third dose without prior appointment. The third dose should be taken after six months of the second jab. The government also decided that Kuwaiti citizens who did not take the third dose will not be allowed to travel, and that those who had taken the second dose nine months ago are no longer considered immune to the disease.