KUWAIT CITY, Feb 21: As Kuwait prepared to receive its citizens and non-banned category expats, on the first day of the decision where institutional quarantine came into effect the scene of arrival halls seemed almost deserted for the third time as entry for expats have been suspended until further notice.

The flights landed almost empty; the first two flights from Dubai and Jeddah carried only 5 Kuwaiti citizens, while a plane coming in from America through Damman carried one passenger.

Last August Kuwait had banned direct entry of nationals of 35 countries: India, Iran, China, Brazil, Colombia, Armenia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Syria, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Iraq, Mexico, Indonesia, Chile, Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Italy, North Macedonia, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Serbia, Montenegro, Dominicans, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Argentina, France, Yemen, and Britain.

33 new countries were added to the list of high-risk countries, bringing the total to 68 countries. The newly-added countries are South Africa, Portugal, Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Cape Verde, Estonia, Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Japan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Bolivia, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Suriname, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Venezuela, Paraguay, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and United States of America.

Today 35 flights were scheduled to arrive at Kuwait Airport, but some flights were canceled by the airlines, due to reservations and other reasons, pointing out that a few flights arrived.

A Kuwait citizen who came from America  via Dammam airport, said that he was the only passenger on the plane that reached T4 airport. He further stated that  the trip was tiring and strenuous due to the cancellation of some flights and the modification and refusal of some planes to allow us to board them. I was supposed to arrive in Kuwait two days ago but the airlines did  not accept the program.  On his way to the hotel institutional quarantine in the Jahra governorate, praised the smooth procedures at Kuwait airport, as he collected his bags and left the airport door without escort where a vehicle was designated to transport him to the hotel for quarantine.

A plane coming in from Dubai carried three Kuwaiti citizens including two students who were not subjected to institutional quarantine and a woman who was subjected to institutional quarantine in a hotel in Mahboula area.

Kuwait airport witnessed very low departures due to the decision by some countries to limit passengers and flights.