Kuwait has imposed a two-week ban on the entry of foreigners from February 7, after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
Government spokesman Tareq Al Mazrem announced the measure after an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Medical personnel in the government and private sectors and members of the diplomatic corps are exempt from the ban. Foreigners who are first-degree relatives of Kuwaitis, such as parents and children as well as their accompanying domestic workers, are also exempted.
All arriving passengers will have to quarantine in local hotels for seven days at their own expense, followed by a seven-day home quarantine, Mr Al Mazrem said.
The civil aviation department has indefinitely extended the limit on passengers per flight to 35, which was due to end on February 6.
The Cabinet also ordered shops and restaurants to close from 8pm to 5am for one month from February 7, but allowed delivery services to continue.
Pharmacies, supermarkets and food stores are exempted, Mr Al Mazrem said.
The restrictions could be extended if the situation does not improve, he said.
All events and gatherings, including national holiday celebrations later this month, have also been cancelled.
Kuwait reported 756 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. Daily infections fell below 300 late last year from a peak of more than 1,000 in May.
The Cabinet urged citizens and residents to comply with health guidelines and rules to help curb the surge in coronavirus cases.
The new restrictions came on the back of recent instances of some airline passengers carrying fake negative PCR test certificates while entering the country.
Mr Al Mazrem said if people did not co-operate and comply with health precautions such as wearing face masks and observing social distancing, the government would consider "additional" measures. He said authorities would take legal action against passengers arriving with fake PCR certificates.
The Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs advised citizens against overseas travel except when “absolutely necessary” because of the new variants of coronavirus spreading worldwide.
Assistant Undersecretary for Public Affairs Buthaina Al Mudhaf said on Wednesday that the health ministry had not detected any infection with the mutated strain from South Africa.
Kuwait has authorised the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against the virus after a comprehensive evaluation of its safety, efficacy and quality, said Abdullah Al Bader, assistant undersecretary for drug and food control.
Kuwait will receive the first batch of 200,000 doses within days, he said.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
