No Covid-19 patients at Oman’s biggest hospital for first time in 18 months

Oman’s biggest hospital on Thursday said it had no patients with coronavirus in its care – for the first time in 18 months.

The state-owned Royal Hospital in Muscat on Wednesday discharged the last patient being treated for Covid-19.

“From over 2,000 beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients, the Royal Hospital has no coronavirus patients as of Thursday. The last infected patient was discharged on Wednesday," the ministry of health announced on state television.

"The ministry of health is cautioning Omanis and residents to maintain the usual precaution guidelines,” it said.

The sultanate has now reported no deaths from the virus for five consecutive days.

On Thursday, 22 new cases were reported from other hospitals around the country.

Oman has recorded 294,742 cases since the pandemic started, along with 4,093 coronavirus deaths.

A patient breathes through an oxygen mask at the Covid-19 ICU unit of the Dr Abdulah Nakas General Hospital in Sarajevo, Bosnia. AP
Nurse Alex Krajek puts on PPE as he prepares to enter a patient room in a wing housing Covid-19 patients at UW Health University Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Reuters
A nurse works in a Covid-19 patient's room during a tour of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital's intensive care unit in Oklahoma City. Reuters
Nursing Assistant Brittany Digman wears a 3M Versaflo TR-300+ powered air purifying respirator as she prepares to enter the room of a Covid-19 patient being treated at UW Health University Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Reuters
Patients breathe through oxygen masks at the Covid-19 ICU unit of the Dr Abdulah Nakas General Hospital in Sarajevo, Bosnia. AP
Members of a local election commission wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and carrying a mobile ballot box and documents visit patients suffering from Covid-19 during the Russian parliamentary election at the red zone of a hospital for war and labour veterans in Volgograd, Russia. Reuters
A nurse tends to a Covid-19 patient during a tour of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital's intensive care unit in Oklahoma City. Reuters
Medical staff in full protective equipment check the charts of patients at the Covid-19 ICU unit of the Dr Abdulah Nakas General Hospital in Sarajevo, Bosnia. AP

The highest number of daily infections in the country was recorded on June 29 this year when 2,234 people tested positive for the virus.

Oman went into a series of lockdowns between May and August and a travel ban was issued, affecting 12 countries.

This week, Britain removed the sultanate from its red list of travel destinations, after nearly two months of strict requirements for visitors to the UK.

Oman on Monday also lifted its own ban on travel to Iraq and Iran that had been in place since August 17.

Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

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War and the virus

Simon Rushton: War vet raises £12m for health workers

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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