An Egyptian physician in Kuwait died on Friday from the coronavirus (Covid-19), becoming the second doctor to pass away from the disease in the Gulf nation.
Awad Abdel-Hameed, a 50-year-old internist, had been admitted to ICU in Kuwait in May after he contracted the virus. He recovered and was discharged from hospital, but later suffered a resurgence.
Abdel-Hameed had worked as a specialist in internal medicine at Kuwait’s Al-Amiri Hospital for 18 years.
Tarek Hussiein Mekhaymar, a 62-year-old ENT physician, died on 8 May, becoming the first Egyptian doctor to pass away in Kuwait due to complications from the virus.
Mekhaymar worked at Kuwait’s Zein Hospital.
Kuwait’s coronavirus case toll reached 74,486 on Thursday, including 489 deaths and 66,099 recoveries, according to the Kuwaiti health ministry.
The country adopted a five-phase plan in June to gradually lift restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
On 1 August, Kuwait banned commercial flights to 31 countries, including Egypt, which it deemed high risk due to the spread of the coronavirus.
The ban came as Kuwait began resuming air travel at a reduced capacity.
On 2 August, the Egyptian foreign ministry said the decision would be reviewed, after a phone call between Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah.
The Gulf country’s cabinet announced on Thursday it would begin the fourth stage of the reopening plan, aiming to restore normality as of Tuesday.
It has decided not to grant all kinds of entry visas to all nationalities, unless the country’s coronavirus committee approves.
