By Ben Garcia

Souq Mubarakiya is thriving again with customers after it reopened earlier this week. On March 17, the Municipality had decided to close the market to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But shops selling non-food items are still closed and people are being asked to observe social distancing. The fruit and vegetable and the meat markets are now open, along with the area where dates are sold. Some baqalas and shops related to foodstuff and herbal products are also open in the market.

"I thank God for the opening of Souq Mubarakiya. I hope we will be able to go back to normal, especially since we will soon be marking Ramadan," a shopper buying fruit from a vendor inside the market told Kuwait Times. The meat shops were also busy. "I am working in a restaurant in Maidan Hawally. We are open every day, but strictly following guidelines on how we should be operating. Since the closure of Souq Mubarakiya, we've been getting our supplies from supermarkets, but the problem there is the long queues. Opening of Mubakariya is a gift for us this Ramadan," an Indian buyer said while purchasing meat for his restaurant from his regular butcher in Mubarakiya.