KUWAIT: Kuwait registered 26 COVID-related deaths over the weekend in addition to 2,438 new cases as the country scrambles to contain an outbreak of the disease that forced a partial lockdown that nears its fourth week and could extend for the foreseeable future.

The Ministry of Health said yesterday that 1,203 people tested positive for COVID-19 while 14 related deaths were registered in the previous 24 hours, whereas 1,235 new coronavirus cases and 12 deaths were reported the previous day, taking total cases and deaths to 237,192 and 1,353, respectively.

Meanwhile, the number of people hospitalized with the virus currently stood yesterday at 13,896, with 224 of them in intensive care units, down from 14,129 patients and 239 ICU patients a day before, according to ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad. Total recoveries reached 221,943 as 1,422 new recoveries were announced yesterday and 1,264 the previous day.

Furthermore, Dr Sanad revealed yesterday that 8,369 swab tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, compared to 8,710 the previous day, bringing the total to 2,092,577. The senior official urged the public to abide by health precautions, mainly following social distancing rules in order to help limit the spread of the virus.

The Cabinet had decided last Thursday to extend the partial nightly curfew for another two weeks, ending April 22 but reduced it for one more hour. The curfew was originally slated to end on April 7. Government spokesman Tareq Al-Mazrem said starting from April 8, the curfew will start at 7 pm and end at 5 am and this will apply during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, expected to start on April 13.

During Ramadan, the Cabinet allowed delivery services from restaurants, cafes and catering to operate between 7 pm until 3 am. It also allowed people during Ramadan to exercise walking from 7-10 pm but only on foot without using vehicles. Shopping at cooperative societies and supermarkets are also allowed between 7 pm and midnight but through pre-booking. The government had previously cautioned that the curfew could be further extended in a bid to limit gatherings if the numbers of new cases, deaths and patients in hospitals remain at the current high rates.