Covid-19: Indian variant detected in Kuwait – health ministry

A number of cases of the Delta variant (Indian variant) of Covid-19 have been detected in Kuwait, Health Ministry spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad announced on Monday.

He did not reveal details about how many cases were detected and whether they were found among citizens or expats.

The ministry is conducting genetic examinations of the virus on a regular basis to study patterns of the spread of the various strains in Kuwait, Al-Sanad told the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

With the emergence of new strains of the coronavirus in some countries, the health ministry has also scrambled to take precautionary measures such as genetic planning by specialised technical teams to contain the virus, he added.

The Delta strain has been detected in more than 62 countries across the world.

Kuwait reported 1,563 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 329,526. It also announced eight related deaths, with the death toll reaching 1,820.

Meanwhile 1,464 people recovered from the virus, raising total recoveries to 311,559.

Kuwait has seen a spike in Covid-19 cases shortly after it ended a partial curfew and reopened malls, restaurants and cafes across the country.

Al-Sanad urged the public to observe strict health precautions include wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, while also getting vaccinated.