KUWAIT CITY, Jan 30: Due to the remarkable increase in the number of Covid- 19 cases including those confined in hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) this month, several proposals have been forwarded to the Ministry of Health such as the temporary suspension of non-emergency surgeries in public hospitals, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources. Sources pointed out that the temporary suspension of non-emergency operations will most likely be implemented due to the reopening of some wards and ICUs for Covid patients.

Sources said those injured in accidents and cancer patients are excluded from such measure, indicating the aforementioned suspension is aimed at ensuring the availability of medical and nursing staff for Corona patients without affecting the services provided to other patients. Sources revealed the number of Covid patients in the wards increased from 22 on Dec 26, 2021 to 410 recently; while those in the ICU increased from four to 86. Sources said this has prompted the concerned authorities to study the possibility of suspending non-emergency operations in public hospitals, some of which have reopened Corona wards.