COVID-19: Kuwait parliament extends suspension after coffee boy tests positive

Abu Dhabi: Kuwait appeared set to move to the second of its five-phase plan to return to normal life, but a coffee boy who tested positive for COVID-19, has prompted the Kuwait parliament to extend the self-quarantine of its members for 10 more days after the House was suspended for two weeks due to the suspected infection of a lawmaker, Kuwaiti media reported.

The expatriate boy, who serves drinks to MPs, had the virus, and the Ministry of Health called on the lawmakers who were in contact with him recently to self-quarantine.

It is still widely expected that the Cabinet will launch Thursday Kuwait’s transition to the second phase of the five-phase plan to return to normal life, Al Seyassah newspaper reported.

The three-week phase will see the curfew shortened to between 9pm and 6am. In this phase, workforces in government and private sectors should be less than 30 per cent, in addition to the resumption of work in the construction sector, banking, malls opening for eight hours and according to special instructions; parks and pick-ups from restaurants.

The parliament’s Speaker Marzouq Al Ghanem said that the lawmaker suspected of having contracted the virus had attended a session of the assembly held on June 16 when the ministers of finance and education were grilled.

The parliament’s general secretariat requested the participants in the session to undergo 14-day home isolation and to avoid going outdoors. The attendees were also asked to immediately report displaying any potential symptoms of the disease.

Al Qabas, citing unidentified sources, reported that the government ministers, who attended the session, are likely to undergo the same measures.

Under lockdown

According to the Health Ministry, the third phase would see an end of curfew, and health authorities would be assessing situation of areas under lockdown. Workforces would increase to less than 50 per cent and visits to social care homes would be allowed, as well as the reopening of hotels, resorts and hotel apartments. Taxis will be allowed to operate with only one passenger, and mosques would be allowed to perform Friday prayers.

Phase four would see an increase in workforce, restaurants would be receiving customers but with restrictions, and public transportation resumed but with distancing.

All activities would resume in phase five, government and private sector would return to normal, families could gather, weddings and graduation ceremonies could be held, health clubs and gyms could reopen, as well as cinemas and theatres.

However, he warned that the success of the plan depended heavily on the public compliance with health instructions surrounding social distancing, hand washing and staying at home.