Compulsory Home Quarantine for Returnees from 7 Countries
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RAJAB 14, 1441 AH MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 28 Pages Max 31º Min 15º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18078 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Compulsory home quarantine for returnees from 7 countries 3 new coronavirus cases in Kuwait • MPs call to extend school closure, bar more expats • CSC: Quarantined employees must not resume work • Saudi locks down Qatif region; 49 deaths in Iran Arson suspected, maid • Boursa slumps; CBK sets up $33m fund to fight virus • Tourist in Egypt first confirmed virus death in Africa By A Saleh, Faten Omar and B Izzak arrested as kids laid to rest By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The health ministry announced that all persons who have arrived in Kuwait KUWAIT: Following up on the Sabah from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Al-Ahmad house fire that killed eight Philippines, Sri Lanka and Syria must follow Kuwaiti children on Saturday, criminal preventive health procedures and guide- investigators yesterday arrested a lines, and are obliged to implement compul- housemaid who had escaped from the sory home quarantine for a period of two scene and is suspected to be involved weeks from the date of departure. The in arson. However, the maid said she Cabinet earlier banned flights from these had fled due to fear of the flames and countries for a period of one week due to what happened to the children. KUWAIT: Mourners pray near the graves the spread of COVID-19. Eyewitnesses had reported seeing of eight children who died in a house In an explanatory statement related to cir- two Ethiopian housemaids fleeing the fire at Subhan cemetery yesterday. cular number 27 on the temporary suspension scene, leaving the children to fend for of flights from the abovementioned countries, themselves. Meanwhile, amidst a state dened everyone. He prayed for the the civil aviation authority said the suspen- of utter sadness, huge crowds of souls of the deceased and the surviving sion will end at midnight on March 13, 2020, mourners took part in burying the family members so they may be patient adding that only Kuwaiti citizens and their eight children of Sultan Al-Otaibi at and bear the pain of the tragedy. HH the first-degree relatives (parents, husbands, KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti trader checks stock prices from the outside after authorities stopped trading Subhan cemetery. Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad wives and children regardless of nationality) at Boursa Kuwait yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime will be exempted from the entry ban provided Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- they prove their relationship and undergo the arrive with their sponsors on the same flights. non-infected third country. It added that pas- sent a cable of condolences to Otaibi, Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah sent sim- standard medical procedures to be followed. In addition, the statement noted that citizens sengers wishing to travel to any of the seven saying the tragic accident deeply sad- ilar cables to the bereaved father. The civil aviation authority added that of the abovementioned countries will only be countries can do so via third country airports. domestic helpers will be allowed in only if they allowed into Kuwait if they spend 14 days in a Continued on Page 24 2 Local Monday, March 9, 2020 Kuwait Fights Coronavirus Fear, panic is real as number of coronavirus cases rises By Ben Garcia Salmiya and asked for a sanitizer. Initially they told me stocks were over, but when I pleaded and said I have a KUWAIT: Fear, panic and discrimination is rampant baby to protect, the salesperson pitied me and gave me around the world as the number of deaths and cases of two bottles. They said they have been keeping it in COVID-19 rises every day. Several doctors and health storage because when they put them on the shelf, they professionals have advised the public that it is not nec- are all gone within a few minutes,” she told Kuwait essary to wear masks while walking on the streets, on Times. Some people said panic was created by the the bus or at restaurants. Yet people are wearing them government too, when it ordered workers at all restau- anyway just in case. rants and cafes to wear facemasks and gloves. “The “I don’t like to appear as if I am the only one not problem with this order is not the use of a facemask or wearing it, so if I am using public transportation, I wear gloves - the problem is when they use them but not fol- a mask, not because I am afraid of the virus, but low the right instruction,” a customer said. “What if the because I am afraid of what people might think when I facemask is not changed for hours? What if they touch am not wearing it,” a regular bus passenger told Kuwait their mask and touch my food? What if they touch my Times yesterday. “I don’t want to wear a mask because food without cleaning their hands, or if the gloves are I heard the virus is not airborne, but people are wear- not changed often?” she asked. ing it, and I don’t want to be different from them. So I All shisha cafes have also been closed in an effort to bought the facemask even though it was expensive,” prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Schools have she added. been suspended and some flights have been halted. All Facemask prices have soared, and most pharmacies over Kuwait, the behavior and attitude of people and are not selling them as they have run out of stocks, the way they are communicating with each other has along with those of sanitizers and rubbing alcohol. “I changed. Greeting by kissing and shaking hands is no wanted to buy a facemask, sanitizer and alcohol, but longer acceptable. People now keep a calculated dis- many pharmacies all over Kuwait are no longer selling tance, especially with strangers. Sporting activities are KUWAIT: People wearing protective masks cross the street in Kuwait City on March 2, 2020, amid a global outbreak of them,” a woman said. “So I was happy when I also on hold, such as football and basketball matches the novel coronavirus.—Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat approached a salesperson at a large grocery store in and zumba and karate classes. all the sheep are examined by the Public Authority for Kuwait Livestock Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources. Company not Postal sector tour Ministry of Services undersecretary Kholoud Al- affected by COVID-19 Shehab and her technical office manager Abeer Al- Shereedah yesterday inspected the ministry’s postal sector departments to make sure all COVID 19-related By A Saleh precautionary measures are put into practice. The tour also included the airport post office. Shehab also KUWAIT: Kuwait Livestock Company (Mawashi) CEO reviewed February’s work statistics which showed that Osama Boodai said the company has not been affected Kuwait Airways had delivered a total of 2,131 mailbags by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and has been deliver- to the office and NAS delivered 4,491 mailbags, while ing its products to customers ordering through calls or total outgoing mail included 2,267 mailbags. Shehab the company’s mobile app. “Our delivery vehicles are also announced holding weekly contests to award the subjected to daily sterilization and constant routine best three mail centers. inspections,” Boodai said. Speaking during the tour, the ministry’s assistant Boodai denied reducing the amounts shipped from undersecretary for postal sector affairs Mansour Al- livestock origin countries and stressed that the compa- Bader said a meeting will be held with the municipality ny reserves will cover demand as planned, as more to agree on a mechanism to dispose empty mailbags KUWAIT: Officials attend a press conference for Kuwait Livestock Company yesterday. — KUNA sheep shipments will continually be shipped to cover according to Environment Public Authority regulations. local market demand. Responding to a question if the Mail traffic manager Siddiqa Khajah hailed the min- company follows any special precautionary measures istry’s efforts in developing the postal sector and ensur- reception from airlines. This will be done at another site “Both sides agreed on the amendments,” Ruwaei with arriving shipments, Boodai said: “Our routine ing safety in view of the current health circumstances. with more staff members outside the airport. stressed, expecting the final draft to be finalized by the measures have always been in practice even before the Khajah added that the sector’s development plan end of the week before submitting it to parliament for coronavirus crisis, as we sterilize the vessels with spe- includes merging post offices, especially those with low More freedoms voting. Ruwaei added that the amendments included cial antibacterial substances before loading the cattle in mail traffic such as Dasman and inner post offices. Chairman of the parliament’s educational affairs freedom of expression and the procedures followed in order to protect it during its up to 14-day journey to Sorting and parcel exchange manager Faisal Al- committee Oudah Al-Ruwaei said that the committee certain cases. “The amendments will achieve more free- Kuwait.” He added that on arrival, all crewmembers are Qabandi said that in a bid to facilitate and accelerate met Information Minister Mohammad Al-Jabri and dis- doms and facilities concerning media institutions and examined by the preventive medicine department and the sorting process, incoming mail will not be sorted on cussed amending the audiovisual and publication laws.