The Sultanate of Oman Records its First COVID-19 Death, Announcing 18 New Cases
Oman’s Ministry of Health has confirmed the Sultanate’s first death caused by the coronavirus when a 72-year-old Omani man lost his life to COVID-19. The Health ministry expressed its “deepest condolences” to the late man’s family in a statement that was shared on Twitter.
According to the Health Ministry, 18 new cases were confirmed to have coronavirus, raising the toll to 210 of the country’s total infections, and that only 34 cases of the total were recovered. Omani Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi said in a radio interview broadcast by local newspaper Al Shabibam that, “he expects the virus to peak by mid-April, but that there would be a surge in the next two weeks because of the arrival of Omani students from abroad.”
During the past few weeks, Omani authorities have taken a number of very strict measurements and precautions aimed to limit the spread of the highly infectious virus, which included suspending flights and the issuance of tourist visas as well as the entry of tourist’s vessels to the Sultanate’s ports. Authorities also canceled all sporting events and banned public gatherings as part of the continuing health precautions.
