Oman imposes nationwide restrictions as Covid-19 infections rise

The sultanate is currently reporting daily cases exceeding 1,400

Travel between governorates will not be allowed. Getty

Oman will reimpose a countrywide restrictions from Saturday in an effort to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus.

The national committee handling the Covid-19 pandemic said the new measures will begin on July 25 and continue for two weeks, lasting over the Eid Al Adha holiday.

"In view of the increase in the number of people infected with Covid-19 and to limit its spread, the supreme committee on Covid-19 has decided to close all governorates between July 25 and August 8," the committee said on Tuesday.

Omanis will not be able to leave their homes for 11 hours a day, and streets will be patrolled by police.

Prayer rooms at Al Wahda Mall are open to worshippers as Covid-19 restrictions ease in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A prayer room is sanitised at Al Wahda Mall. Victor Besa / The National

A fruit vendor wearing a face mask waves as he waits for customers in Kuwait City. AFP

Food vendors wearing face masks prepare kebabs at a market in Kuwait City amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic crisis. AFP

Ibrahim, a 29-year-old Palestinian, makes a kite with a safety message regarding the coronavirus pandemic in the village of Halhoul, north the West Bank town of Hebron. AFP

A Palestinian woman who is infected with coronavirus disease receives vitamins delivered by a drone in Beit Ummar in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Reuters

Palestinian municipality staff members prepare to fly a drone loaded with vitamins to be delivered to coronavirus patients in Beit Ummar. Reuters

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A model wears a face mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, designed by Iraqi designer Ziad Tariq, left, at his workshop in Basra, Iraq. AP Photo

Syrian refugee students and instructor, Yasine Hariri, use his invention that is a robot prototype that automatically dispenses sanitiser to avoid contact and combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a part of the camp's UNHCR-led Innovation Lab program, at the Zaatari refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria. REUTERS

Syrian refugee students and instructor, Yasine Hariri, use his invention that is a robot prototype that automatically dispenses sanitiser to avoid contact and combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a part of the camp's UNHCR-led Innovation Lab program, at the Zaatari refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria. REUTERS

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European tourists walk at the beach at a hotel on the Tunisian island of Djerba. AFP

"It has also been decided to prevent all types of movements and close public places and shops during this period between 7pm and 6am, with intensified patrols and points of control in the daytime," the committee said.

Both Omanis and residents will be banned from socialising or visiting each other during Eid Al Adha, which will begin on July 31 and last until August 3. The ban also prevents people from travelling from one region to another.

On Tuesday, the Health Ministry reported 1,487 new cases of the virus and 11 deaths. Tuesday’s death toll is the highest daily fatalities recorded since the outbreak began in Oman.

In all, Oman has confirmed 69,887 cases and 337 deaths.

Oman is also screening widely, conducting 4,701 tests on Tuesday, bringing the tally to 279, 446.

Medical experts said the new measures would not help much to stop the virus spread.

"We can have as many lockdowns as we wish but that would not stop the spread of the virus,” said Dr Fatma Al Ajmi, a retired virologist and a medical practitioner.

“What we need is ordinary people to be responsible and stop gathering. There are not enough police officers in the country to patrol the streets to stop people visiting each other in their homes."