KUWAIT, July 16 : The Cabinet held an extraordinary virtual session on Thursday, under chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, urging citizens and expatriates to continue to abide by precautions against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following the session, Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said the prime minister briefed the ministers about his meeting with His Highness the Amir, late on Wednesday, during which His Highness the Amir expressed satisfaction at the government efforts for facing the novel coronavirus.

Al-Saleh quoted the premier as saying during the session that His Highness the Amir, during the meeting with him, advised for pursuing with efforts and putting all resources at disposal of sparing the citizens effects of the virus at all levels, particularly in the educational sector so that students would be able to continue education.

Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel Humoud Al-Sabah informed the ministers about the coronavirus developments at the regional and international levels, along with statistics compiled by the World Health Organization.

He also briefed the executives about the local health status, namely figures of cases according to regions and nationalities, in addition to counts of recoveries and deaths as well as critical cases in intensive care units.
The minister of health noted in his presentation that deaths stabilized, with mounting cases of recoveries, however cases among citizens remained high due to mingling.

The Cabinet renewed the call upon the citizens and residents to adhere to the health guidelines, set by the health authorities to protect themselves against infection with the germ.

The ministers followed up on latest developments with respect of treatment, precuations and logisitcal services related to the combat against the virus, examining recommendations by the ministerial emergency commission against the coronavirus, regarding the plans for completing the teaching year.

They were informed about assessment reports, presented by the ministry of education, Kuwait University and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training for resuming the academic year (2019-2020) and start the next year (2020-2021).

Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Saud Al-Harbi presented details of the plans and programs regarding the teaching status in both the public and private sectors.

He lauded the plans that have been prepared in light of the changing facts resulting from ramifications of the health crisis, noting that they would be regularly reviewed.

For his part, Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan and the Director General of the Public Authority for Industries briefed the ministers about efforts to increase production of anti-coronavirus materials, noting that a strategic stockpile of these supplies has been secured.

The minsters examined a report by the Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait Mohammad Al-Hashel, who doubles as the chairman of the higher economic boosting commission, about the scheme for shoring up the national economy, in the shadow of the virus crisis.(KUNA)