KUWAIT: Kuwait's Ministry of Health (MoH) registered yesterday 964 additional COVID-19 cases over a 24-hour span, increasing the total number of infections to 179,488, while five fatalities were recorded, raising the death toll to 1,014. Plus, 810 fresh recovery cases were added to a total of 167,601 cured people, MoH's Spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said during the 106th regular press conference.

Active cases amounted to 10,873 with 141 of them in intensive care units (ICU) as of yesterday, the ministry confirmed. Health authorities conducted 10,328 swab tests to a total of 1,687,183, he revealed. Dr Sanad urged everyone in Kuwait to comply with the precautionary measures against the virus and maintain social distancing. He recommends that everyone should visit MoH's official accounts and official authorities in the country to view the instructions, recommendations, and everything that would contribute to crush the virus.

Deep alarm

The Cabinet's weekly session on Monday was marked with deep alarm following a presentation made by the minister of health about the latest status of the pandemic in the country, amid mounting cases and deaths. Following the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh stated that it kicked off with a briefing by Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Humoud Al-Sabah about the latest local health status with respect to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Statistics showed a spike in the cases of infections, deaths and patients who receive medical treatment as well those being admitted at the intensive care units, amid decline of recovery rates, minister Dr Basel affirmed during the session.

He attributed the drastic increase of the cases and infections to non-compliance by the health terms, holding gatherings and social occasions' activities. The ministers expressed profound concern at the "phenomenal slack and complacency" with respect to applying the health conditions, triggering a second pandemic wave in the country. The cabinet urged the public to take all necessary precautions and remain vigilant to spare themselves infection with the contagion and curb its spread.

Moreover, the government urged everybody to rapidly seek to get the vaccination against the virus noting that the extraordinary health situation warranted cooperation from all in the country. After revising recommendations by the ministerial committee for emergency response to the coronavirus, the Cabinet decided to task the fire force and the National Guard to aid the health authorities in enforcing the health precautions and ensure serious abidance in various sectors. Online teaching will continue in the private and public sectors until stabilization of the pandemic status in the country.

Official sources

Dr Sanad had said on Monday that people should be aware of inaccurate information that undermine the efforts of all workers in the health sector facing the Coronavirus pandemic. Dr Sanad added that misleading information threatens all the work made so far against the virus. He noted that misguided news about the vaccines could throw people off from the truth, and interrupt the implementing of the safety measures announced by the government.

The spokesperson also said that WHO also warned people about inaccurate information and the dangers of the spread of rumors between people. He stressed on following official sources of information about the pandemic and to ignore all other means of misguided information, especially in social media and any other technological way that can spread information vastly and quickly. - KUNA