By Tamara Abueish

DUBAI -- Kuwait reported 77 new cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 556, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday.

Out of the 77 cases, one is of a Kuwaiti national who had traveled to France, while 74 cases are of individuals who had direct contact with previously infected cases of the virus, according to the ministry.

The 74 cases include: two Kuwaitis, 58 Indians, 8 Pakistanis, three Bangladeshis, two Egyptians, and on Iranian.

Two Indian nationals are currently under epidemic investigation to determine how they were infected with coronavirus, the ministry said.

A total of 17 individuals are currently recieving treatment in the intensive care unit, and 99 people have recovered from the coronavirus.

Kuwait on Saturday reported its first virus-related fatality in a 46-year-old Indian national who had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit in one of the country’s facilities. -- Al Arabiya English