KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait recorded on Friday 495 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 153,473, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

The ministry announced two more virus-related deaths over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities in the country to 940.

According to the ministry’s spokesman Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad, there are currently 4,050 active cases in the country out of which 54 are receiving treatment in intensive care units.

A total of 11,597 swab tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, raising the total number of COVID-19 examinations in the country so far to 1,311,631, Dr. Al-Sanad said.

Earlier in the day, the ministry announced that a total of 244 more patients have recovered from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the total number of recoveries in the country to 148,483.

The spokesman urged citizens and expatriates alike that abiding by health precautions, mainly, following social distancing rules, is the only way to halt the spread of the virus. — SG