Kuwait shuts dozens of shops for violating coronavirus rules

About 1,142 warnings were issued during inspections of 1,197 shops, according to Kuwait's state news agency

A picture taken on December 24, 2017 shows people walking through an arcade in Al-Mubarakiya Souk in Kuwait City. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

Kuwaiti officials have shut down dozens of shops because they have not been adhering to official coronavirus guidelines, health authorities said on Tuesday.

At least 46 shops were shuttered across the country during the Eid Al Adha holiday for breaching health precautions imposed to stave off the country's coronavirus outbreak, state news agency Kuna reported.

Officials handed out 1,142 cautions in inspections of 1,197 shops, Kuwaiti authorities said.
A total of 206 fines were issued to shops for the breaches. The fines were mostly handed out for people failing to wear face masks and safety gloves to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the agency added.

Inspections also uncovered 73 illegal livestock outlets and 42 fines were given to street vendors who did not have the right permits. Seven licensed butchers were also reported to authorities.

Kuwait has reopened to international travel, but flights from 31 countries deemed to be high risk will not be resumed.

The country started receiving commercial flights on Saturday after a five-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The country has also put strict regulations in place for airlines and travellers.

Flights into the country can operate at a maximum capacity of 30 per cent, and no more than 10,000 travellers can arrive in Kuwait each day.

The number of flights is capped at 100 per day.

Travellers must stay in quarantine for two weeks on arrival and have travel health insurance that covers treatment for Covid-19, said Yousef Al Fawza, the aviation authority’s director general.

Kuwait recorded its first death from the coronavirus outbreak on April 4. It promptly imposed a full lockdown with heavy punishment for those who breached it.

Those who break the curfew could face up to three years in jail and fines of KD 10,000 (Dh120,000), the interior minister confirmed.

Kuwait also initiated legal proceedings against people spreading fake news and rumours in relation to coronavirus.