Six new cases of COVID-19 in Oman

MUSCAT: Six new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported by the Ministry of Health (MoH) on Tuesday. According to the details provided by the MoH, two Omanis and four Iranians who came from Iran have been subjected to quarantine.

The total number of coronavirus cases reported in the Sultanate has touched 12. Currently, there are 2,367 people under quarantine for COVID-19, of which 49 are under institutional quarantine. The MoH last week reported the first two cases of coronavirus in the Sultanate, which included two Omani women returning from Iran.

On Monday, the ministry said that the affected are in stable condition and being quarantined at home.

A committee for emergency and crisis at the MoH, headed by Dr Khaled al Mashikhi, Director-General, on Tuesday discussed the strengthening of precautionary and preventive measures at health institutions and all land, sea and air checkpoints.

The registration of patients’ visits to health institutions in Oman will not be made without a civil ID number from Sunday, March 8, the MoH said. “We would like you to ensure that you carry the Civil ID card when checking with the health institution.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement that as a precautionary measure, visitors to the Sultanate from the countries where the disease is prevalent will not be allowed to enter from air, sea and land ports, even if they are transferred through other countries, and they have valid visas.”

Authorities are working on the suspension of direct air flights from endemic areas and implementing containment measures and infection prevention and control at the borders.

Quarantine has been lifted for the travellers coming from Singapore and Japan but continues to be applied to all travellers coming from China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. Direct flights to China and Iran have been suspended, as well as charter tourism flights from Italy.

With the sixth case confirmed, India on Tuesday suspended all regular visas and e-visas granted on or before March 3 to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan who have not yet entered India. It also suspended visa on arrival (VoA) issued by March 3 to Japan and South Korea nationals who have not yet entered India.

Iran, one of the worst-hit nations, reported infections rising to 1,501, with 66 deaths, including a senior official.

Chinese authorities asked overseas Chinese to reconsider or minimise their travel plans as imported virus cases rise. Guangdong province and Shanghai said they would require travellers from virus-hit countries to be quarantined for two weeks.

Morocco, Andorra, Armenia, Czech Republic, Iceland, and Indonesia confirmed their first cases.

South Korea’s president declared war on the coronavirus on Tuesday, ordering additional hospital beds and more face masks to be made available as the number of cases rose by 600, taking total infections to 4,812, while total fatalities rose to 34.

Six people in the Seattle area have died of illness caused by the virus, prompting health officials to plan new containment measures, ranging from possible school closings to temporary quarantine housing for mildly ill homeless patients.