KUWAIT: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infected 688 people in Kuwait during the past 24 hours, official spokesperson of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced on Saturday. Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad, speaking during his daily update about the pandemic status locally, said that the total number of infection cases with the contagion climbed to 44,391. Moroever, the virus claimed lives of three persons, during the same period of time, raising tally of deaths from the fatal pathogen to 344.

The confirmed cases included patients who had contracted the virus due to mingling with infected persons. Others remained under examination to determine source of the contamination. The latest infections include 444 Kuwaiti citizens and 244 non Kuwaiti residents of the country, he said. Dr Sanad said the cases were recorded in the districts as following: 194 in Al-Ahmadi, 173 in Al-Jahraa, 149 in Farwania, 91 in Hawally and 81 in Al-Assima (the capital).

The number of cases undergoing treatment at intensive care units reached 155, with the total count of cases that continued to get medical care amounting to 9,461. Up to 44 patients were discharged from quarantines however they would sequester themselves at their houses for 14 days. Dr Sanad revealed that more than 3,240 swab tests for the virus were conducted during past 24 hours, thus the tally of these examination exceeded 375,524 since breakout of the contagion in the country, months ago.

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 Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced, earlier today, that 617 persons recovered from the infection with the coronavirus in past 24 hours, with the overall count of the recuperated amounting to 34,586. - KUNA