Kuwaiti citizens in Bahrain repatriated: Minister

TDT | Manama

Kuwaiti citizens in Bahrain have been repatriated in recent days in close coordination with Kuwaiti authorities here, said Information Minister.

Minister, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Rumaihi, said the repatriation was held in coordination with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Bahrain, Shaikh Thamer AlJaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah. The decision, Minister said, follows the directive of HM the King issued considering “Kuwaitis in Bahrain as Bahraini citizens”. All “GCC nationals are “Bahraini citizens” under various circumstances, His Majesty explained.

The minister was speaking during an interview aired by Kuwaiti Al-Rai TV. Al-Rumaihi described Bahrain’s participation in the repatriation as a national duty reflecting the deep-rooted solid fraternal bilateral relations.

Kuwait reportedly flew back 306 citizens back to the country on board three planes coming from Lebanon, Egypt and Bahrain as part of a plan to bring back citizens from coronavirus-affected countries.

An Arabian Business Industries report quoting Kuwait ministry said, “195 Kuwaitis came from Egypt, 74 from Lebanon and 37 from Bahrain.” They were all tested in airport facilities specially installed for this purpose and then taken to compulsory quarantine, according to Kuwait news agency KUNA.

Al-Rumaihi told Al-Rai TV that the current exceptional situation strengthened cohesion and solidarity among the citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In this regard, presenter of the “Min Alakhar” programme, Dr Barakat Al Wegyan, said that the outstanding ties between Kuwait and Bahrain are a model to be emulated adding that the “brotherly gesture is not strange to Bahrain.”

Bans gatherings exceeding five

Meanwhile, Bahrain has tightened its measures to limit the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) by announcing several measures recently. On Thursday, Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa announced banning gatherings exceeding five people in the Kingdom.

The directive prohibiting gatherings of more than five individuals on roads, yards, beaches, parks and other public places follows an Executive committee meeting chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier.

Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh, Minister of Health, added that the Kingdom is set to close non-essential businesses from 26 March 2020 to 9 April 2020 during which only hypermarkets, supermarkets, cold stores, bakeries, pharmacies, and banks will remain open.

Restaurants will limit their service to delivery and takeout only. Violators will face a penalty of up to three years jail term or/and fined up to BD5000.

Bahrain tests 30506

According to the ministry of health statistics, Bahrain until now has tested 30621 people. There are 227 active cases in the Kingdom with 226 in stable condition and one person in critical condition.

Health Authorities has discharged 235 people from quarantine while declaring four deaths. The ministry has also introduced several measures including a contact tracing app ‘BeAware’ to provide advance contact tracing services and awareness about active virus cases here.

The app provides users with locations of active cases and alerts while approaching an active carrier or location, taking care to ensure privacy. Latest reports say Bahrain’s current treatment centres’ capacity stands at 1,667 beds, of which 249 beds are occupied. Current quarantine centres’ capacity stands at 2,504 beds, of which 139 beds are occupied.

$5 trillion boost

Other governments in the Middle East and North Africa region are also ramping up their efforts to stopping the spread. In a wide-reaching decision, G20 nations pledged a “united front” Thursday in the fight against coronavirus, saying they were injecting $5 trillion into the global economy to counter the pandemic amid forecasts of a deep recession.

“It is our responsibility to extend a helping hand to developing countries and (the) least developed countries to enable them to build their capacities and improve their infrastructure to overcome this crisis and its repercussions,” King Salman said.