By Tamara Abueish

DUBAI -- Seven persons in Kuwait have recovered from the novel coronavirus, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 64, the Minister of Health Basel Al-Sabah announced on Saturday.

Kuwait on Friday reported 17 new cases of the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 225.

Out of the 17 new cases, five are related to travel. They involve four Kuwaiti nationals who had traveled to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and France, as well as a resident who traveled to Jordan, according to the health ministry.

Kuwait has taken several precautionary measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading further.

An 11-hour curfew was imposed from 5 p.m. until 4 a.m. to contain the outbreak. More than 17,000 tests have also been administered in the country.

Anyone caught breaking the coronavirus curfew in Kuwait will be jailed for up to three years and fined 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars ($32,000) in line with new laws, according to the country’s deputy prime minister.

Kuwait also extended the suspension of schools and universities till Aug. 4. Earlier this month, flights to and from the country were suspended until further notice. -- Al Arabiya English