KUWAIT CITY — Authorities here have delayed phase five of the reopening plan “until further notice.” This was announced by the Center for Government Communication (GCG) on Twitter amid a continuous increase in coronavirus cases.

Up to 708 people contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kuwait in past 24 hours, official spokesman of the Ministry of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad announced on Monday. This has reaised the overall tally of infections to 94,764.

Dr. Al-Sanad, in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), said the new batch of germ-infected casualties included a number of persons who contracted the virus due to mingling with people sickened with COVID-19, adding that infection circumstances of others were still to be determined.

The latest group of casualties sickened with the globally spread pandemic were recorded, according to the country's health zones, as following: 189 in Hawally, 165 in Al-Ahmadi, 157 in Farwaniya, 121 in the capital and 76 in Al-Jahraa.

Number of sick people continuing to receive intensive medical care has amounted to 86, Dr. Al-Sanad said, noting that the whole count of proven cases that remain under treatment has reached 9,408.

Medical staff conducted, during the past 24 hours, up to 3,928 swab tests, he said putting the tally of such examinations so far at 679,670.

Dr. Al-Sanad appealed anew upon the population to remain vigilant and continue to heed the calls for protective measures against the highly contagious pathogen.

The MoH declared earlier that 506 of the COVID-19 patients recovered, during the same period, and revealed that the total figure of the recuperated stood at 85,501. — Agencies