KUWAIT: Kuwait's Ministry of Health said Sunday 836 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours to raise registered cases to 54,894. Ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad, in a statement to the press, said four people died because of the virus to increase fatalities to 390. He added the new cases were of people who came into close contact with infected persons.

Dr Sanad said 549 of the new cases were Kuwaiti citizens, or 65.67 percent, and 287 non-Kuwaitis, or 34.33 percent. Dr Sanad said the cases were recorded in health districts as follows: 227 in Al-Ahmadi, 195 in Al-Jahra, 175 in Farwaniya, 131 in Hawally and 108 in the Capital. The number of cases undergoing treatment at intensive care units reached 151, with the total count of cases that continued to get medical care amounting to 9,494.

Up to 29 patients were discharged from quarantines, however they would sequester themselves at their houses for 14 days. Dr Sanad revealed that more than 3,835 swab tests for the virus were conducted during the past 24 hours, thus the tally of these examinations exceeded 433,336 since breakout of the contagion in the country.

He appealed, anew, upon citizens and expatriates to continue taking necessary precautions against the infectious disease, be keen on maintaining social distancing and examining online accounts of relevant authorities to remain acquainted with latest directions in this respect. The Ministry of Health announced earlier that 649 persons recovered from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, with the overall count of the recuperated amounting to 44,610. –KUNA