Bahrain, Kuwait confirm first coronavirus COVID-19 cases: Reports

Kuwait and Bahrain have reportedly confirmed first cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, as the death toll due to the deadly virus continues to rise. According to Bahrain’s state news agency, the one confirmed case had arrived from Iran, the country which has reported 12 deaths from coronavirus so far.

Kuwait’s state news agency, citing the Ministry of Health, reported that three persons, including a Saudi national, have been tested positive for coronavirus. Iraq has decided to shut its Safwan border crossing with Kuwait at the latter’s request. 

According to the latest report, 150 new deaths in China due to coronavirus infections have been confirmed, taking the total death toll because of the deadly virus to nearly 2,600. While most of the cases are from Hubei province of China and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, other countries, including Italy, Japan and the Philippines, have also now reported deaths related to COVID-19.

Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Four Chinese Provinces Lower Emergency Response

Coronavirus cases soar

The number of confirmed cases in Italy soared to 152 which forced the authorities to step up measures against the spread of coronavirus and call off the Venice Carnival. In Venice, three people, all in their late 80s, tested positive for COVID-19 and were hospitalised in critical condition. Authorities have not been able to identify the ‘patient zero’, the source of coronavirus in northern Italy after an Italian man in Codogno was tested positive and became critically ill.

Read: Afghanistan Announces First Confirmed Case Of Coronavirus In The Country

South Korea has also reported major coronavirus outbreak with 763 confirmed cases, making it the largest number of cases in the world after China. Most numbers of cases in South Korea are related to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu. 

Japan has also confirmed third death from coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked off the Japanese coast of Yokohama. There has been a total of four deaths in Japan but one of the deaths was unrelated to the quarantined cruise.

Read: China Relaxes Restrictions In Wuhan City As Coronavirus Cases Decline

Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Death Toll In Iran Rises To 12 Amid Surge In Cases

(With inputs from agencies)