COVID-19: Kuwait records steep increase in cases among children

Kuwait City: Compared to previous months, Kuwait is witnessing a rise in COVID-19 infections amongst children, local media reported.

Dr. Khaled Klinder, a pediatrician doctor at Jaber Al-Ahmed Hospital the main hospital that deals with COVID-19 patients, pointed out that there are five to eight children a day, twice the number of patients compared to previous months.

He added that the immune system of adults and children differ and based on cases of COVID-19 patients in Kuwait the children’s admission period is short.

Majority of the children being admitted to the hospital suffer from chronic illnesses and therefore are in need of oxygen, according to Dr. Dana Al Haqan, a consultant pediatrician at Jaber Hospital.

Spike in cases

As the number of children affected by COVID-19 increases so has the number of adults.

Despite the 12-hour curfew implemented two weeks ago, the number of COVID-19 cases have been on the rise, including the number of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Around 67 per cent of those positive cases registered are among Kuwaitis.

In an attempt to curb the spread, the Minister of Health, Dr. Basel Al Sabah, called on all citizens and residents to adhere to health measures put in place, including a ban on gatherings and wearing a mask in public. The Minister also urged all citizens and residents who have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to register via the Ministry of Health’s website.