PH Embassy in Kuwait suspends operations as employees get sick with COVID-19

ABS-CBN News Posted at Aug 18 2020 01:33 AM MANILA - The Philippine embassy in Kuwait announced Monday it has suspended its operations starting Aug. 16 after five of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. "In accordance with the protocols of the World Health Organization and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, the Embassy announces the suspension of its services effective 16 August 2020, until further notice," the Embassy said in a statement released Saturday. Aside from the embassy, on-site operations in Kuwait of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social Security System (SSS), and Pag-IBIG Fund are also suspended from Aug. 16 until further notice. Those who need assistance from the embassy may reach it through the following hotlines and social media accounts: Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PHinKuwait Twitter account: www.twitter.com/PHinKuwait Consular (Passport) Section hotlines: 6518-4433; 6990-2188 ATN Unit hotline: 6500-2612, 9800-5115 POLO-OWWA hotline: 9403-9063 The embassy also advised Filipinos in "extremely distressed situations" to contact the Kuwaiti government's emergency hotlines due to the limited movement of embassy personnel during the suspension of operations: Kuwait Police: 112 (for non-COVID-19 related cases) Kuwait Ministry of Health: 151 (for COVID-19 related cases) As of Monday, the number of overseas Filipinos sick with COVID-19 has reached 9,908. In the Philippines, the novel coronavirus has so far sickened 164,474 people. The tally includes 2,681 deaths, 112,759 recoveries and 49,034 active cases.

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