As the Covid-19 situation continues unabated in the region, the travel ban imposed on arrivals from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan came into effect on Saturday.
A similar ban has also been imposed by the three other GCC countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Of the 107 patients in the intensive care units of various hospitals in Oman for Covid-19 related treatments, 43 are in the Dhofar. In the capital, cases and deaths are mostly reported from Muscat, Bausher and Seeb.
With over 46,258 of the second dose of vaccines given in the country to date, an official at Sabla Muttrah vaccination centre told the Observer that the response has been good from both citizens and expatriates.
“Currently, only people in the group above 60 and healthcare workers are offered vaccines, which will be expanded soon.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr Ahmed al Saeedi, said in an interview that due to the current epidemiological situation, more stringent measures will be imposed to avoid the worst possible scenario, which will include a complete ban on movement until the end of the Eid- al-Fitr.
The minister said that the GCC countries, which successfully managed to standardise the purchase of medicines and medical devices, have not been able to unify the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
The government sources have said that the common virus strain found in Oman is the one that was found in the UK, which reached the Sultanate after Christmas.
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