DAMMAM: Six Saudi women were on Wednesday declared by the Bahraini Ministry of Health to be among nine of the latest confirmed new cases of the coronavirus outbreak.
The women, who had flown into Bahrain International Airport from Iran, all tested positive for the virus, taking the number of people infected in the state to 26.
The announcement came as a coordination committee headed by the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, suspended all universities and schools for two weeks as a precautionary measure to ensure student safety and limit the spread of the virus.
Also, on Wednesday, Kuwait said it had recorded its first case of a Saudi citizen contracting the virus. The state has so far witnessed 26 infections, and the Saudi male had arrived in the country from the Iranian city of Mashhad. Along with three other cases, including two Kuwaiti nationals, he has been placed in isolation for 14 days.
Meanwhile, markets and public places in Bahrain remained quiet as news of the latest coronavirus cases spread.
The Bahraini Ministry of Health said passengers arriving in the state from countries affected by the virus were being screened on arrival, and the Saudi Ministry of Health confirmed it was coordinating with its counterpart in Bahrain over treatment of the six infected Saudi women in line with World Health Organization-approved medical recommendations.
The Saudi Embassy in Bahrain called on its citizens to take all necessary precautions to reduce the chances of infection while in the country. It said anyone experiencing a high temperature, coughing, or breathing difficulties should remain in their residence in a separate room, and phone 444 for medical help and advice.
The King Fahd Causeway Authority released a statement saying the causeway remains accessible to travelers of both directions to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as usual.
The KFCA has denied rumors circulated reporting the closure of the bridge.
