By Jamie Etheridge

KUWAIT: Kuwait witnessed widespread
panic shopping last night but things have returned to calm by mid-morning
Thursday. Around the country, locals and expatriates flocked to buy bread,
canned goods, rice, flour, milk, bread, water, meat and other basic necessities
after the government declared a two-week public holiday in the wake of a spike
in coronavirus cases in the country. 

Kuwait has been dealing with an
outbreak since late February, with 80 cases of COVID-19 now confirmed though
not one case of community transmission reported. Hundreds of people remain in
quarantine. 

On Thursday, Kuwait government
officials confirmed that basic foodstuffs and vital services will continue to
be available. Municipality officials announced that all coops and groceries
will remain open 24 hours to serve the public. In addition, all pharmacies, gas
cylinder centers, the Kuwait Flour Mills company and gas stations would be well
supplied and open for business. Kuwait’s Port Authority also confirmed that all
ports remained open for cargo and shipping. The Kuwait International Airport
will stop all commercial flights from midnight Friday but cargo flights will
continue. 

The cabinet decision banned
gatherings at restaurants and cafes including those inside malls and announced
the closure of gyms, sports and health clubs. Malls, salons and other services
remain open for business. Traffic is normal in the streets though lighter than
during school days. Restaurants are open for delivery or take out. 

Meanwhile the government has opened a
massive new testing center in the Mishref Fairgrounds to receive the thousands
of expatriates who have traveled abroad to high infection countries. In a
clarification on who must come for testing, the Ministry of Health received on
Thursday people living in Jahra governorate who had traveled to or returned
from Egypt, Syria or Lebanon from 27^thFebruary or thereafter.