In this March 31, 2019, file photo, Kuwait鈥檚 ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, attends the opening of the 30th Arab Summit, in Tunis, Tunisia. Kuwait鈥檚 91-year-old ruler has been admitted to the hospital for a medical checkup, the oil-rich nation鈥檚 state-run news agency reported Saturday, July 18, 2020. Sheikh Sabah was in 鈥済ood health,鈥� the KUNA news agency said, citing a statement from the country鈥檚 diwan minister. (Fethi Belaid/Pool Photo via AP, File)
DUBAI 鈥� Kuwait鈥檚 91-year-old ruler has been admitted to the hospital for a medical checkup, the oil-rich nation鈥檚 state-run news agency reported Saturday.
Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah was in 鈥済ood health,鈥� the KUNA news agency said, citing a statement from the country鈥檚 diwan minister.
The brief report did not elaborate. However, the visit comes as the tiny nation fights the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen over 58,000 cases and 400 deaths in the country of 4.1 million. Its Health Ministry said over 49,000 people have recovered from the virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes.
In August 2019, Kuwait acknowledged the emir suffered an unspecified medical 鈥渟etback鈥� that required him to be hospitalized. That came after visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that he was 鈥減raying for Emir鈥檚 speedy recovery,鈥� without elaborating.
Sheikh Sabah has ruled Kuwait since January 2006. He鈥檚 pushed for diplomacy to solve regional issues, such as the ongoing boycott of Qatar by four Arab nations, and hosted major donor conferences for war-torn nations like Iraq and Syria.