Kuwait confirmed 78 new cases of coronavirus as the country expanded its night-time lockdown by two hours and fully shut off two areas.
The new cases bring the total to 743, with 673 receiving treatment in hospital.
Health ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al Sanad said 23 patients were in intensive care with complications related to the virus, including 17 stable cases and six in a critical condition.
He said 69 of the cases announced on Tuesday had been in contact with a verified case of coronavirus, but the other nine were being investigated as to their origin.
The cases include 59 Indian nationals, three Pakistanis, three Bangladeshis, five Egyptians, three Iranians and one national each from Syria, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Kuwait. One more patient was in the country illegally, Dr Al Sanad said.
Kuwait also declared two more patients recovered on Tuesday, bringing the total to 105. The pair, a 72-year-old Kuwaiti citizen and a 2-year-old expatriate, will be discharged in two days after a short spell in a rehabilitation ward, Minister of Health Dr Basel Al Sabah told the Kuwaiti News Agency on Tuesday.
It came after the country’s first confirmed death from the virus on April 4.
The government responded to a spike in the number of cases early this week by extending the partial curfew by two hours on Monday, keeping the population indoors between 5pm and 6pm.
It also imposed a full lockdown on the areas of Mahboula and Jleeb Al Shuyoukh and extended the closure of all state institutions until April 25.
During the lockdown of Mahboula and Jleeb Al Shuyoukh, medical workers will carry out tests on residents, Mr Al Sabah said.
On Monday, Mr Al Sabah said his country was at the "most important” stage of confronting the outbreak, the containment stage, and was working to find those infected and isolate them.
He also urged the public to stay indoors even when the curfew time is over and observe social distancing and hand washing practices.
