Kuwait suspends visas for Egyptians over coronavirus fears

Kuwait’s interior ministry has suspended the issuance of entry visas for Egyptian nationals amid fears of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak; Al-Qabas newspaper quoted a local security source as saying yesterday.

The newspaper said the decision does not include Egyptians with valid residency permits in Kuwait who have the right to return to the country.

According to the Kuwaiti paper, the decision includes all visa categories including social, tourism, commercial and work visas.

The Kuwaiti decision comes despite Cairo’s announcement that it is free of the coronavirus, after confirming that the one case diagnosed with the disease has recovered.

Global outbreak of the coronavirus

However, earlier on Thursday, the French authorities announced that two people contracted the virus after returning from Egypt, before raising the number the following day to six cases.

Kuwait suspended the entry of citizens from eight countries; Egypt, Iran, Iraq, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand and Italy over fears of further infection.

The Kuwaiti health ministry announced on Friday that the total number of people infected with the virus is 45 with no reported deaths.