Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense (MoD) Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Sabah said on Saturday that the airport, and the land and maritime borders will not be shut down.

Sheikh Hamad, also head of the ministerial coronavirus emergency committee, made the statement to KUNA after a meeting by the committee following the emergence of a new variant of coronavirus in some African countries.

He said that the committee discussed the steps relating to the developments of the new variant in a number of African countries and decisions taken in this regard.

He noted that there are some steps should be followed by those who are inside and outside Kuwait as a result of this strain.

"The mutated virus is dangerous and all countries have decided to halt flights from nine African countries," he said.

This was recommended by the committee and flights will be suspended from some other countries, Sheikh Hamad Jaber noted.
The minister stressed that "the country's health situation is excellent, thanks to Allah Almighty and the efforts of our heroes at the Ministry of Health."

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr. Sheikh Bassel Al-Humoud Al-Sabah told KUNA in a similar statement that media dealt with the new variant and the World Health Organization (WHO) named it as "Omicron".

"Information on the variant is still preliminary, and the ministry's workers are following these developments," he added.
He noted there are several questions that need answers on how quickly the mutated virus spreads, its strength and resistance to vaccine, or natural immunity to the previous infection.

He emphasized that the health measures implemented since the beginning of the corona pandemic have been still in place.
The measures include wearing mask, keeping physical distancing, and taking vaccines and the booster dose for those who have exceeded six months from receiving the second dose to reduce the infections, he stated.