KUWAIT CITY

Kuwait will impose a partial curfew on Sunday as part of the fight against the novel coronavirus, according to the official KUNA news agency.

The curfew will last from 5 p.m. local time until 4 a.m. (1400-0100GMT), KUNA said, citing the Kuwaiti Cabinet.

Violators could be jailed up to three years or fined up to 10,000 dinars ($33,000), Deputy Prime Minister Anas al-Saleh said.

He said the curfew was imposed "due to non-compliance with the precautionary measures to fight the coronavirus spread."

Al-Saleh said the Kuwaiti Cabinet also decided to extend a suspension of the government and private sectors for another two weeks.

Kuwaiti health authorities confirmed 17 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the total infections in the Gulf state to 176.

The virus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 166 countries and territories, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Out of over 307,000 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 13,000, and more than 92,000 have recovered.

Despite the rising number of cases, most of the people who contract the virus suffer only mild symptoms before making a recovery.