Cairo: Worshippers in Kuwait will be allowed to walk to nearby mosques during a partial curfew due to take effect next week to limit the spread of COVID-19, religious authorities have said.
The curfew will come into effect on Sunday for a month running daily from 5pm to 5am, the latest in a series of measures taken by Kuwait amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the country.
Mosques will not be shut during the curfew, but worshippers will be allowed only to head to mosques near their houses on foot, Minister of Awqaf Isa Al Kandari told Al Qabas newspaper.
Authorities have agreed to allow worshippers to perform the prayers of Maghreb (sunset), Isha (evening) and Fajr (dawn) during the curfew hours in nearby mosques.
Pharmacies and cooperative societies are also allowed to operate during the 12-hour curfew, with their services to be limited to deliveries.
Shut down
The government has also allowed maintenance services of elevators and air conditioners to continue during the curfew.
Public parks will, meanwhile, be shut down in Kuwait for a month starting Sunday as part of the latest health restrictions.
Over the past weeks, Kuwait has seen a dramatic increase in coronavirus infection rates.
On Thursday, health authorities reported 1,716 new cases, Kuwait’s highest since its first COVID-19 case was detected more than a year ago.
The latest tally has brought the country’s infection total to 196,497 cases while related fatalities have reached 1,105.
