Friday prayers banned, mosques closed for first time ever

20 new coronavirus cases as govt denies deporting expats

B Izzak

KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday banned Friday prayers and askedworshippers to pray all five times at home, practically closing mosques, inunprecedented measures as the country fights to prevent the spread of thecoronavirus.

Government officials and the Manpower Authority meanwhiledenied reports that Kuwait plans to send millions of expatriates to their homecountries as part of minimizing risks of the killer disease spreading.

Government spokesman Tareq Al-Mazrem yesterday deniedreports that curfew has been imposed after authorities closed public beachesand parks and police patrols were seen asking people to leave beaches and stayhome. The traffic department used drones to make public announcements thatgatherings are prohibited.

The health ministry reported 20 new coronavirus cases,raising the number to 100. As many as 15 of the new cases are for Kuwaitis whohad returned from Iran, two citizens who had returned from Britain and theUnited States, one for a Spanish national and two Egyptians who came in contactwith an Egyptian man found to be infected with the disease several days agoafter returning from Azerbaijan via Dubai.

Health Minister Sheikh Basel Al-Sabah said on Twitter thatbanning Friday prayers came after some people who showed signs of infectionafter returning 10 days ago from countries that were not listed to be infectedlike the United States, Spain and Britain.

The ministry is now testing people who had come in contactwith them, Sheikh Basel said.

In a televised statement, the minister appealed to thepeople to remain at home and not to venture out to protect themselves from thedisease.

Of the 100 cases tested positive, five were cured anddischarged and 95 under observation including four at the intensive care unit,one of them in critical condition. The ministry said as many as 71 people havebeen discharged from the ministry quarantines after tests showed they were notinfected.

The health ministry meanwhile continued to test expatriateswho had returned to the country from February 27 onward from a number ofcountries. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah inspected the testingcenters at the International Fair Ground in Meshrif.

Authorities yesterday closed the Friday market and stoppedauction at the Fish market from today until further notice.

Kuwait had already declared a public holiday shutting downgovernment offices and many private establishments for two weeks and halted allcommercial flights to the country.