Muscat: Following the deadliest Covid month for the Sultanate, July brings a ray of hope with the mass vaccination campaign now extended to youngsters.
Experts are also unclear on what percentage of a population needs to be vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 before herd immunity kicks in. According to studies, predictions vary between 60 and 70 per cent.
While 143 deaths were recorded on Sunday, which included 50 single-day deaths on July 2, only 73 deaths have been reported since, including Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health on Wednesday reported 1,675 new cases and 17 deaths.
The number of new patient admissions dropped to 156 from 163 on Tuesday; the inpatients in hospitals dropped to 1,491 from 1,520.
Patients in intensive care units also declined to 493 from 512 on Tuesday.
The number of active cases dropped slightly from 28,755 on Tuesday to 28,728, which means 10.25 per cent of the total infected patients are sick.
It may be noted that most cases recorded in the country are from Muscat, North and South Al Batinah.
According to the Ministry of Health, nearly 99 per cent of the population in Musandam has been vaccinated, including students and teaching staff associated with the General Education Diploma (GED) exams.
Meanwhile, health experts have warned that Delta variant has been detected in 98 countries worldwide, including 13 countries in the East Mediterranean region. It is spreading quickly regardless of vaccination coverage. It is fuelling current surge in cases and deaths.
The Delta variant seems to be spreading faster than the original strain.
“The rapid spread of the Delta variant is contributing to an increase in disease transmission both globally and the region. Countries should prepare by strengthening surveillance and detection, social measures, and ensuring health systems can cope with increasing numbers of moderate and severe cases,” the experts said.
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