1 Death, 93 Cases in Kuwait; Global Deaths Pass 150,000 Wuhan Raises Death Toll by 50% • Saudi Mufti: Pray Taraweeh, Eid Prayers at Home
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SHAABAN 26, 1441 AH SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 20 Pages Max 31º Min 20º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18110 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net 1 death, 93 cases in Kuwait; global deaths pass 150,000 Wuhan raises death toll by 50% • Saudi mufti: Pray taraweeh, Eid prayers at home KUWAIT/WASHINGTON: The homes. ministry of health yesterday reported Governments around the world are 93 new coronavirus infections and now grappling with when and how to Paper towels may one fatality in the last 24 hours, bring- ease lockdowns that have crippled the ing the total number of infections to global economy, even as the COVID- 1,751 and total deaths to six. In a 19 death toll climbs further in hard-hit remove virus; drug statement, Health Ministry countries. Demonstrators in three US Spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad states assembled in public this week remdesivir effective said 34 patients are in intensive care, to call for an end to the restrictions, 18 of them in critical condition and 16 with the largest protest in Michigan PARIS: People should dry their hands with stable. attracting 3,000 people - some of paper towels to avoid spreading the new coron- He added death cases reached six whom were armed. avirus, according to the authors of a study pub- after confirming the death of a Trump has largely left decisions on lished on Friday that finds disposable tissues are Bangladeshi resident (68 years old), easing lockdowns to state officials better than jet dryers at removing pathogens noting that he was in the intensive even as he outlined guidelines for a missed by ineffective washing. Global health care unit for nine days. Those current- staged reopening of the national authorities have highlighted the crucial impor- ly receiving treatment at hospitals economy. But his call to “liberate” tance of washing hands with soap and water to reached 1,465 patients, Sanad said, Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia in a protect against COVID-19, which has killed tens adding that 20 individuals have com- series of tweets were quickly rebuked of thousands and spread around the world. pleted quarantine in the last 24 hours. by the Democratic leaders of the Contaminated hands are a major route for Earlier, the ministry announced the three states. “I do not have time to germ transmission, potentially spreading recovery of 22 new patients, bringing involve myself in Twitter wars,” said pathogens to surfaces - like door handles or the total to 280 recoveries. Virginia governor Ralph Northam. taps - and causing infection when people touch Coronavirus deaths have surged The US accounts for nearly a third of their faces. A small study by experts from past 150,000 worldwide with nearly a the 2.2 million coronavirus infections Britain’s University of Leeds and Leeds quarter of them in the United States, reported globally. Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust found that if where President Donald Trump lent It has also recorded around hands had not been properly washed, drying his support to protestors rallying 37,000 deaths, more than any other with a paper towel was more effective at against lockdown orders. Evidence is nation, followed by Italy, Spain and removing microbes. mounting that social distancing suc- France which have all been ravaged by “We believe that our results are relevant to cessfully slowed the pandemic after their own outbreaks. However these the control of the novel coronavirus that is more than half of humanity - 4.5 bil- figures likely reflect only a fraction of Continued on Page 16 lion people - were confined to their Continued on Page 16 2 Established 1961 Local Sunday, April 19, 2020 Kuwait mulls coronavirus response with Japan, US Kuwait eyes cooperation to address pandemic’s repercussions KUWAIT: Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad State of Kuwait support for measures taken by two ministers reiterated the strength and peculiari- Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah on Friday received Japan for facing spread of the virus, wishing the ty of the Kuwaiti-US relations and joint efforts to renewed Kuwait’s soli- a telephone call from his Japanese counterpart nation success in tack- upgrade them to achieve darity with the measures Toshimitsu Motegi dealing with various aspects of ling this crisis. His their common interests. They taken by the United the solid relations bonding the two friendly coun- Japanese counterpart discussed all regional and States to stop the spread tries. The telephone call tackled means of boosting hailed measures that international developments of coronavirus, wishing it mutual cooperation, major occurrences on regional have been taken by the Kuwait’s of common concern. The safety and near end to and international arenas. Moroever, the Kuwaiti and State of Kuwait for two officials also touched the crisis. Japanese ministers discussed rapid developments resisting this pandemic, measures upon the latest updates of Meanwhile, Secretary due to spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) wishing safety for the receive praise the novel coronavirus global Pompeo expressed US throughout the world and ideas on beefing up Kuwaiti people. outbreak, underling the need support and praise to cooperation between the two countries for coping Sheikh Dr Ahmad to boost bilateral coopera- Kuwait’s measures to with repercussions of the pandemic. Furthermore, had received on tion to address its repercus- address this global pan- the two sides emphasized necessity of international Thursday a phone call sions. They stressed the demic, wishing safety to all Foreign Minister Sheikh cooperation for facing fallouts of the pandemic and from US Secretary of importance of international its people from the disease Dr Ahmad Nasser stemming its spread. Sheikh Dr Ahmad renewed the State Michael Pompeo. During the phone call, the synergy to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. implications. —KUNA Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah Kuwait receives DGCA: 75 flights to bring home stranded Kuwaitis as of today more facemask KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced that the national carri- er Kuwait Airways and the private Al-Jazeera producing Airways will operate 75 flights to sixteen airports worldwide to evacuate stranded nationals. In state- machines ments to the press, DGCA spokesman Saad Al- Otaibi said the flights, which will start today, make KUWAIT: Director General of the Public Authority up the first phase of a five-phase plan to repatriate for Industry Abdulkarim Taqi announced Thursday nationals from abroad after the outbreak of the the arrival of a second shipment of imported med- novel coronavirus (COVID-19). He pointed out that ical facemask producing machines. These machines the first stage, to last three days, includes flights to have a total production capacity of more than Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, 300,000 facemasks a day, Taqi said in a statement Manama, Doha, Muscat, Cairo, Alexandria, Amman, sent to the press. He noted that the machines will be London, Istanbul, Ankara, Geneva and Paris. Last operated by one plant. The authority has also per- week, the Kuwaiti cabinet adopted a phased mitted several other plants to start manufacturing process to bring back Kuwaiti citizens abroad. The medical facemasks, Taqi added. He stressed that the plan envisaged five phases: First would be due on authority is keen on enhancing local production of April 19-20 covering Kuwaitis who completed med- personnel protective equipment (PPE) to meet the ical treatment abroad along with their companions, growing needs of the local market and to help curb also tourists or those who were on official assign- the spread of the novel coronavirus. —KUNA ments. The second stage (April 23) covers patients who need medical beds and life support equipment. The third one (April 25-May 1) for students, the fourth (May 3-4) for diplomats and the fifth (May 6- KUWAIT: This photo released by Kuwait Airways shows top company officials meeting to discuss Pandemic Diaries 7) for other segments. —KUNA preparations to evacuate stranded nationals from around the world. Protect them all March at all public and private schools (for both Kuwait, which they can use to order medications Coronavirus in students and teaching staffs); first from March 1 to to be delivered during curfew hours. The medica- March 12, and later extended it until March 29, tions will be delivered within 72 hours after the before eventually suspending schools until August order is submitted. To place an order, patients By Jamie Etheridge Kuwait:What for grade 12 and October for other stages. should send a WhatsApp to the numbers for the Kuwait suspended issuing entry permits and hospitals and medical centers as listed below. The we know so far visas unless those issued through diplomatic mis- patient should include their name, Civil ID number, sions. State departments have been on high alert hospital or clinic file number, mobile phone num- KUWAIT: Kuwait has so far recorded 1,751 cases to take precautions against the potential spread of ber and the medicine needed to the following [email protected] infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the virus. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry numbers: in addition to six deaths. With the exception of 34 has taken measures to make sure that facial • Amiri Hospital: 50880699 cases in intensive care, all infected cases are in masks, hand sanitizers and other goods remain • Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital: 50880755 ometimes reality is so shocking, so impos- stable condition and are recovering in quarantined accessible to the public. • Farwaniya Hospital: 50880852 sibly unjust, that it’s hard to even believe. locations designated by the government for this • Adan Hospital: 50880908 SThat is how I felt when I read the news this purpose, while hundreds have been discharged Amnesty • Jahra Hospital: 50881066 week that 10 nurses in Santa Monica, California from quarantine after exhibiting no symptoms The Interior Ministry issued an amnesty allow- • Sabah Hospital: 97632660 had been suspended for refusing to work with during their 14-day quarantine period, the ing residency violators to leave the country • Jaber Hospital: 96992079 COVID-19 patients without being provided N95 Ministry of Health confirmed.