Oman reports 5 deaths as ICU patients increase

Muscat: The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 277 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases registered in the Sultanate to 138,206.

MOH reported also five Covid 19-related deaths, taking the total death toll at 1,549.

The total recovery cases reached 129, 752, which is 94% of the total recovery rate.

Twenty-seven patients were hospitalized during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of inpatients in hospitals to 147, including 46 in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, said that there has been a noticeable and worrying increase in the number of people in intensive care with the Coronavirus, and stressed that the Supreme Committee will take measures against those who fail to abide by its decision.

He said the closure of the North Sharqiyah Governorate was due to a 100 percent increase in intensive care cases in Ibra hospital, especially because of negligence and recklessness on the part of some people.

He assured that the one who received the first dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine will get the second dose and the delay will not effectiveness of the vaccine. "The target groups should take the available vaccine and said that the turnout in some governorates is still weak."

Al Saeedi said that there is no scientific evidence that delay in taking the vaccine reduces its effectiveness and that the Ministry of Health has formed a team specialized in vaccinations last year, which is studying every aspect of vaccinations.

He said that the percentage of people recovering from the Covid-19 has reached 94 percent, but the number of intensive care patients rose by over 100 percent in just two weeks to 41 on Monday.

Some patients in the intensive care unit were offered vaccination and they refused, the minister said.

The Minister of Health said the manufacturer of AstraZeneca vaccine is taking only the cost price only, which indicates the safety of that vaccine.

The minister confirmed as per the data travellers coming from the Republic of Tanzania to the Sultanate recorded Covid-19 positive at a rate of 18 per cent, which is a very high number. Therefore, the committee is studying stopping flights coming from countries that have high rate of infections.