KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet, during its weekly meeting at Seif Palace on Monday, reiterated the call for the public to take seriously the epidemic situation of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country in the run-up to winter. Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Hmoud Al-Sabah briefed the meeting, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, on the latest developments of the second wave of the pandemic.

Sheikh Dr Basel noted that over 40 million people contracted the illness and 1.116 million others died of it around the globe, as of Monday. He also put the Cabinet members in the picture about the health situation in Kuwait, including the latest statistics of infections, deaths, hospitalizations and recoveries, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Khaled Al-Saleh told reporters following the meeting.

The Cabinet members urged all citizens and expatriates in Kuwait to realize the seriousness of the situation as winter approaches and continue committing themselves to the public health precautions and preventive measures, notably social distancing, avoiding crowded areas, and putting on facemasks.

The Cabinet approved the blueprint of a decree calling on eligible voters to cast their ballots in the 16th National Assembly elections, due on Saturday, December 5, 2020. The decree was referred to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for final endorsement.

The meeting also discussed a suggestion from the public utility committee of the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) regarding jurisdiction over the sewage system in the industrial areas, Minister Anas Al-Saleh revealed. The Cabinet members decided to set up a committee, under the chairmanship of Environment Public Authority (EPA), to study the ecological hazards of industrial waste, sewage and rain drainage system.

The committee, also consisting of PAI, and the ministries of finance and public works, has to work out radical solutions that could prevent infringements on environment in the industrial areas in keeping with Article 34 of the Environment Protection Act 42 (2014). It has also to report the Cabinet on the progress of its work on a quarterly basis, Minister Anas Al-Saleh went on. - KUNA