KUWAIT: This March 14, 2021 file photo shows empty counters at Terminal 4 of Kuwait International Airport. - KUNA

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said yesterday that a ban on the entry of expats into Kuwait, which was enforced on February 7, is still valid until further notice. The ban was imposed by the council of ministers as part of measures Kuwait adopted to contain a spike in the number of coronavirus cases which have hit record high levels in recent days.

Kuwait has exempted foreign diplomats and medical staff and their first degree relatives from the ban. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has also introduced a new program called MUNA (Medical Utility Network Accreditor) which will guarantee the authenticity of PCR coronavirus tests. Around 30 countries have been included under the program, initiated after reports of fake PCR tests issued in some countries.

In the meantime, the National Assembly's interior and defense committee yesterday delayed until its next meeting discussing a number of draft laws proposing sweeping amendments to the election law. MP Mubarak Al-Ajmi said the postponement came because the interior minister and government representatives did not attend.

Ajmi also said that the meeting was supposed to discuss amendments to a law on which the constitutional court based its ruling earlier this week to revoke the membership of leading opposition MP Bader Al-Dahoum. MP Hasan Jowhar said the interior committee should complete studying the amendments to be presented to the national assembly regardless if the government attends or not.