Mubasher: Kuwait’s cabinet held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, 26 February, and announced eight new decisions in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, as the total number of infections reached 26 in the country.

The government is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to evacuate nationals from coronavirus-hit areas, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Evacuees will then be tested for the virus and will undergo an obligatory quarantine period.

In addition, the cabinet suspended all schools, public and private universities, military colleges as well as educational centres related to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs as of 1 March until 12 March.

Furthermore, the government assigned Kuwait Supply Co to ensure sufficient domestic supply of facemasks for citizens and expats to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

It also tasked the Ministry of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Economic Affairs to cooperate with the Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies to provide necessary sterilization supplies in all cooperative societies.

The government further called for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to send a global specialised medical team at the soonest to review and evaluate the Gulf country’s efforts in curbing the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this week, Kuwait said that it is undertaking an emergency plan and taking all the necessary precautionary measures to treat the suspected cases who arrived from Iran earlier this week.

The patients are currently in a stable condition and are being kept in isolation in a hospital affiliated to the health ministry that is well-equipped to handle the China virus cases.