CORONAVIRUS:KUWAIT OFW QUARANTINE DAY #35- Finding A Cure to the Virus

April 15, 2020, Wednesday

There will be times in your life when things simply have to be replaced because they are tired, broken, worn out, harmful, outdated, or irrelevant. Take an inventory of the things that no longer serve your best and highest good so you can replace them with the ones which do.”

– Susan C. Young

 The SARS-CoV-2 virus has arguably exerted the most strain in the healthcare sector of every country worldwide. As such, medical experts are in a race against time to find a cure for the novel coronavirus, which has not only stretched and crippled the healthcare capacity of every nation but also continues to claim the lives of thousands worldwide.

In Kuwait, the Ministry of Health announced 50 new COVID-19 cases with 30 additional recoveries, and no further coronavirus death being recorded. This brings to a total tally of 1405 cases, with 206 recovered cases and three deaths. Within the new cases, Forty-three of them had contact with confirmed cases with 2 being Kuwaiti nationals, 31 cases of Indian residents, two instances of Bangladeshi residents, two instances of Pakistani residents, 1 Nepali resident, 1 Iranian resident, and 1 Sri Lankan resident.

Seven are currently under investigation with one case of a Kuwaiti national, 1 Indian resident, and 1 Bangladeshi resident and. One thousand, four hundred and five patients are currently receiving medical treatment, while 31 are in the intensive care unit. Compared to yesterday’s report, the new number of cases decreased. 

Medical Interventions Against the Virus

Today marks the 35^th day of quarantine and the 25^th day of curfew. As the world continues to grapple with the virus, Dr. Fawzia Al-Khaldi, an internal and blood disease consultant, released a statement that affirmed that blood plasma injections with antibodies were effective in crippling the virus and increasing the infected person’s chances of recovery. She explained that the use of blood plasma therapy has also been effective in treating previous cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Swine Flu. This method comes from efforts made by Chinese and Italian medical experts who used and conducted experiments using blood plasma in areas most affected by the virus.

The studies revealed that plasma treatment contributed significantly to reducing the length of dependency on respiratory resuscitation, which led to a decrease in death rates and increased recoveries. About 600 mm of plasma can be derived from the blood of a single donor, which helps in the recovery of three more patients, which is pointed out by Chinese studies, which showed that each patient needs at least a single dose of 200 mm of plasma to incur its benefits.

This is indeed promising news not only to the people of Kuwait but also to healthcare institutions worldwide. A potential solution to the novel coronavirus has been derived through the collaboration and sharing of research data by medical professionals worldwide. This only proves to show what we can achieve if we pool our collective efforts and resources in fighting the virus. Not only do we reinforce friendship and cooperation, but we are also able to provide ways with which to save more lives in this crisis.

Psychological Counseling During the Pandemic

 This Wednesday, the Director of Family Counseling Department at the Ministry of Justice Iman Al- Saleh released a statement, which approved the creation of a specialized team, which seeks to provide social and psychological counseling to the people of Kuwait during the current pandemic. He informed the press that this move was due to the fact that the department felt like it could do more and improve its services in towards the administration’s visitors which expressed its concerns in giving appropriate guidance and advice regarding family problems and the adverse effects which came as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.

This initiative comes in light of the extension of the quarantine, which may have had some adverse effects on the mental health of the general public, especially with the continuation of the pandemic. He pointed out that some specialists contacted a number of urgent cases to provide advice over the phone individually and directly. The goals of the team included the preservation of family stability, its reformation, and also providing social and psychological support towards its members, especially during these trying times.

I am glad that the government authorities have raised awareness regarding the adverse effects on mental health, which is brought about by the fear and isolation that many of us experience during the pandemic. By responding to the public’s inquiries regarding marriage, divorce, and the improvement of family relationships, Kuwait’s citizens now have a platform with which to fully express their grievances and thus be more fully capable of handling the emotional fallout in relationships brought by the pandemic.

The Hazards of Coronavirus to Kuwaiti Society

In a study conducted by the professors of psychology at Kuwait University, it has been discovered that the current COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to the negative attitudes in Kuwaiti society due to specific economic, social, educational, and psychological factors in society. The survey included 1,080 participants from all the various sectors of Kuwaiti society. The study was mainly about the hazards of respiratory disease to the citizens of  Kuwait in view of chronic fatigue syndrome and hypochondriasis.

According to the survey, a majority of the participants stated that they now actively avoid social gatherings and interactions, with 75.3 percent having extreme concerns over the viral infection. About 42.8 percent of public security all the types of negative impacts triggered by the globally spreading contagious disease has hit teams hard. It also showed that 41.8 percent of non-Kuwaiti respondents and 38 percent of Kuwaitis had developed negative attitudes due to the virus’s impacts.

In this regard, I am thankful for the Kuwaiti Government for having had the necessary foresight to encourage societal, psychological support, especially to security personnel such as police officers, whether by phone, mass media, and social media, so that these negative attitudes can be erased.

Updates from the Philippine Embassy

In the Philippines, the Department of Health announced 230 new COVID-19 cases with fourteen additional deaths and fifty-eight recoveries. It brings to a total tally of 5,453 with 349 fatalities and 353 recovered cases. Compared to yesterday’s report, the new number of cases decreased.

As of this Wednesday, the health authorities in the Philippines have already performed a total of 39,947 individual tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Based on the data given by the COVID-19 Tracker developed by the Department of Health, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has performed the most number of individual tests with 29,262; followed by the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) with 2,199; Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) with 1,975; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) with 1,534; and Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) with 1,422.

To date, about 117 of the 3,253 confirmed case hospital admissions nationwide are new admissions, and as of April 12, there are a total of 3,191 beds for Covid-19 patients in hospitals, 1,474 mechanical ventilators and 12, 413 beds in identified community isolation facilities nationwide.

Meanwhile, there are 29,724 face shields, 24,700 goggles, 35, 390 gowns, 18,922 N95, 87,493 shoe covers, 73,183 surgical masks and 775,891 head covers available in hospitals nationwide. The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait also offers its condolences and mourns with the entire country in the death of PH Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita Catalla, who has unfortunately passed away last April 5, 2020, due to COVID-19. In honor of her memory and as a tribute to her outstanding service to the country, the PH flag outside the Embassy will be flown at half-mast from April 15 to April 17.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues on, we must always bear in mind that the numbers of casualties we see on our screens are more than just statistics. They were all people who had friends, family, and loved ones who waited for them at home. This holds especially true to the front liners in this current crisis, the medical staff and healthcare workers, security personnel, couriers, and all other individuals who provide essential services so that we can remain in the safety of our homes. They have been disproportionately affected in this crisis, and the number of casualties among their ranks is only continuing to rise as the pandemic persists in the country.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of PH Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita Catalla, who devoted her entire being and life in service to the Filipino people. Likewise, let us not let her sacrifice, and those of our frontliners be in vain as we strive to survive in this pandemic. I encourage everyone to follow the quarantine protocols, avoid social gatherings, and practice the precautionary measures set by the health ministry in helping stop the virus from spreading. I thank the Philippine Embassy and the Government of Kuwait for their wholehearted efforts in helping the disenfranchised members of our Filipino brothers and sisters in Kuwait. I have full confidence in their abilities in handling the pandemic and, as such, must also fulfill our responsibilities to society as law-abiding members of the community and thus offer our full cooperation in complying with the rules and guidelines that they have set in combating this pandemic. I fervently hope that their sacrifice serves as an inspiration to others to become more upstanding members of our society. Together we can help in putting this calamity to a quicker end, for it is with unity and mutual cooperation that we can achieve things that are deemed impossible.

Nang makita nga nila ang katapangan ni Pedro at ni Juan, at pagkatalastas na sila’y mga taong walang pinagaralan at mga mangmang, ay nangagtaka sila; at nangapagkilala nila, na sila’y nangakasama ni Jesus.

Mga Gawa 4:13

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A multi-award-winning blogger and advocate for OFWs and investment literacy; recipient of the Mass Media Advocacy Award, Philippine Expat Blog Award, and Most Outstanding Balikbayan Award. Her first book, The Global Filipino Bloggers OFW Edition, was launched at the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait. A certified Registered Financial Planner of the Philippines specializing in the Stock Market. A recognized author of the National Book Development Board of the Philippines. Co-founder of Teachers Specialist Organization in Kuwait (TSOK) and Filipino Bloggers in Kuwait (FBK). An international member of writing and poetry. Published more than 10 books.  Read more: About DiaryNiGracia