By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Various medical societies yesterday issued a statement expressing full support to the measures taken by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to contain the coronavirus outbreak, adding that the measures fully matched related international recommendations and exceeded them in some cases. The statement also warned against using the current crisis for political and media gains against the state's greater good and public interests. "Any statements contesting the current measures are miscalculated, do not serve the society and are against the country's pubic interests," the statement warned.

Separately, Jahra Salayil Hotel yesterday denied plans to use it as a quarantine site for people infected with COVID-19. "Social media stories about turning the hotel into a quarantine are untrue," said the Copthorne Al-Jahra Hotel and Resort (Salayil) sales and marketing department, reassuring hotel customers that their bookings are valid and many of them are currently enjoying their stay at the hotel.

In the meantime, Minister of Education Saud Al-Harbi recommended rescheduling the second term final exams to start after Eid Al-Fitr for all stages and cancel the interval days due to the tight schedule. And in view of the current situation and the measures taken to fight COVID-19, the Municipal Council yesterday suspended all its committee meetings in March.

Meanwhile, Kuwait Municipality's acting PR manager Mohammed Al-Mutairi said various municipal teams operating during the national holidays removed 5,292 truckloads of waste, 163 abandoned vehicles and mobile grocers and 20 ATVs, filed 306 citations, removed 158 ads, stopped five promotional offers, confiscated six truckloads of balloons, 120 water guns, 24 water bottle boxes, four facemasks, 7,565 water-filled balloons, 136 flags, and 20 truckloads of fruits, vegetables and used clothes.