Covid-19 update: Kuwait postpones fifth phase of reopening, 8 MPs test positive

Kuwait has decided to postpone the fifth and final phase of reopening its economy and resuming normal activities until “further notice” due to the increase in Covid-19 cases.

Activities that were scheduled to resume in the fifth phase included restoring staff to full capacity, family gatherings, wedding ceremonies, exhibitions and the reopening of cinemas and theatres.

Kuwait started implementing a five-phased plan in June to reopen the economy completely by mid-September after imposing a complete curfew from May 10-30 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Read: Kuwait to move into fourth phase of reopening this week

رئيس مركز التواصل الحكومي الناطق الرسمي باسم الحكومة طارق المزرم: تأجيل الانتقال إلى المرحلة الخامسة حتى أشعار آخر#CGCKuwait pic.twitter.com/MpHXNoR20D

— مركز التواصل الحكومي (@CGCKuwait) September 14, 2020

Meanwhile Kuwait also postponed parliament sessions by a week on Monday, after several MPs tested positive for Covid-19.

The number of members infected with the virus has increased from five to eight, local daily Kuwait Times reported on Tuesday.

All the members of parliament and employees of the Council of Ministers General Secretariat are set to be tested on Saturday.

Authorities have blamed the increasing number of cases on negligence and a rise in gatherings, media reports said.

Kuwait reported 829 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of infections in the country to 96,301.

It also reported five additional deaths, raising the death toll to 568.

Total recoveries stands at 86,219, with 9,514 patients continuing to receive medical care.