Kuwait Shuts Down Country in Effort to Contain Virus Spread

(Bloomberg) --

The government declared the period of March 12-26 an official holiday in an effort to limit exposure to the coronavirus outbreak, state-run Kuwait News Agency reported on Wednesday, citing government spokesman Tareq Al Muzram.

Here are the latest steps Kuwait has taken as the gulf nation grapples with the spread of coronavirus.

• The central bank, all governmental entities and ministries will cease operations
  • The finance ministry said month’s salaries will still come as planned, according to tweet
• Boursa Kuwait said it will suspend operations on March 12, without clarifying when it’ll restart again
• People are banned from gathering in cafes and restaurants, and it closed gyms and private health clubs
• The banking federation announced that all local banks will stop operations in that period, with just one branch open in each province, until they resume work on March 29
  • Online banking and ATM withdrawals will still be operational
• Commercial flights will be suspended from March 13 until further notice
  • Inbound trips limited to Kuwaiti citizens and their first-degree relatives, state-run Kuwait News Agency said in a text message
  • Cargo flights are also excluded from the suspension
• The national guard will continue operations in full capacity

--With assistance from Dana Khraiche, Fiona MacDonald and Zaid Sabah.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nour Al Ali in London at nalali1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Christopher Kingdon at ckingdon@bloomberg.net, Jim Silver

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