EFFORTS TO CONTAIN COVID-19 STEPPED UP AS 22 NEW CASES REPORTED
As authorities step up efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, fresh cases were reported in the country.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday announced registration of 22 new confirmed cases with coronavirus for citizens.
Of these, 10 cases are linked with having close contact with confirmed cases of coronavirus, and eight are related to travel, while four cases are under epidemiological investigation, bringing the total number of COVID-19 registered cases to 131.
The ministry affirmed that 23 cases have totally recovered, of these 18 are from Muscat and five from Al Dakhiliyah.
Governorate-wise, Muscat topped the list of confirmed cases with 90, and 75 people are currently sick. Al Dakhiliyah has 13 cases with 13 people currently sick. North Al Batinah has 13 cases, with 13 currently sick. Dhofar has five cases with five currently sick.
Diplomatic missions around the world have been urging Omani students and citizens to speed up return procedures as per the directives of the Supreme Committee on COVID-19.
It may be noted all international and domestic flights from Oman will be suspended from March 29, except for cargo and special services. SAF SUPPORT Lt Gen Ahmed bin Harith al Nabhani, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s
Armed Forces (SAF), said that SAF has enhanced all its capabilities to support the Supreme Committee’s efforts in controlling the spread of the coronavirus. He said the army is ready to provide what is required for the relief and shelter sector, in addition to the medical role of the armed forces in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
It said that field hospitals will be deployed if required.
Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force of Oman’s (Rafo) aircraft returned from the city of Shenzhen in the People’s Republic of China, with medical materials to combat the coronavirus, as part of the support operations of the Ministry of Health, and in accordance with the plans of the Supreme Committee.
It is worth mentioning that there will be similar trips to China, with the aim of strengthening the country’s medical stocks needed to deal with this pandemic, and to achieve the national effort of all government institutions to combat the emerging virus.
Dr Mohammed al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, said on Friday, “We have entered the stage of community transmission of the coronavirus, and expect the number of cases to go up during the coming period.”
He added that social distancing is the best way to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The MOH reaffirmed that ‘health isolation’ (home quarantine) is the duty of all citizens and residents who arrive from abroad, irrespective of whether they are students or other segments of the society.
The ministry said that institutional isolation will be provided for those who do not have suitable conditions for home quarantine (room with own toilet) and advised those who possess such facilities to perform self-quarantine in their residences.
The ministry urged all those submitted to institutional isolation to stick to the instructions regulating this type of isolation so that they would not expose themselves or others to infection risks.
The ministry calls upon all people to comply with instructions on social distancing when receiving returning passengers.