Oman: Authorities extend Eid al-Adha holiday from July 30 – August 6 following spike in COVID-19 cases /update 19

Event

Omani authorities have extended Eid al-Adha holidays by an additional three days; the holiday for public and private sectors will now be from Thursday, July 30, until Thursday, August 6. The decision comes following a recent spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, with more than 1000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported every day over the past week.

A nationwide nightly curfew was imposed on Saturday, July 25, between 19:00 and 06:00 (local time) which includes a ban on all movement and the closure of all public spaces and shops during this period. The curfew will run until at least August 8. A heightened security presence is to be anticipated, with increased police patrols and checkpoints to ensure restrictions are being observed.

Commercial international flights into and out of the country remain suspended until at least July 30. This does not apply to humanitarian and repatriation flights. Citizens who wish to travel abroad will have to apply for permission from authorities and will be required to quarantine for 14 days on return to the country. Separately, authorities previously announced that the lockdown in the regions of Masirah and Dhofar, which were due to expire on July 17, would remain in place until further notice.

As of Tuesday, July 28, there have been 77,904 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Oman and 402 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.