Kuwait bans foreign ships, except oil carriers, amid coronavirus fears

Kuwait has banned foreign ships from leaving or reaching its shores.

1 min read

26 February, 2020

Kuwait banned ships to and from countries such as China, Japan, Italy and Iraq. [Getty]

Kuwait has barred foreign ships, except those carrying oil, from departing to or arriving from several countries to prevent a coronavirus spread, according to a notice seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

The notice, dated February 25, banned ships to and from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Italy and Iraq.

Oil sector ships are excluded from the ban, authorities said in a separate notice on the same date and also viewed by Reuters.

The country has previously cancelled all events to mark its National Day on February 25 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. It has also cancelled flights going to and from South Korea, Thailand, and Italy.

The worldwide death toll is now at more than 2,700, while the number of infections has topped 80,000, although the number of new cases in China, where the virus was first reported late last year, is falling.

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