MUSCAT: The Supreme Committee members are holding a press conference to discuss the latest developments regarding coronavirus outbreak in the country. 

Who all are attending the press meet?

1. Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi, Minister of Health
2. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Shuhi, Minister of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources
3. Dr. Saif Bin Salem Al Abri, General Director of Disease Control and Control at the Ministry of Health.
4. Dr. Frial Bint Ali Al Lawati – Senior Consultant Doctor, Head of Infectious Diseases Unit at Royal Hospital.

Excerpts from the press conference:

Minister of Health: 226 patients are admitted in hospitals; 58 in ICU
Minister of Health: We are fully transparent while announcing the number of cases and deaths.
Minister of Health: Treatment for residents has been free. We didn’t ask them to pay even one riyal. The treatment expense will be now done in different ways: through insurance companies, sponsors and the government will take up the treatment if they do not have a sponsor.
Minister of Health: 606 cases were recovered in a single-day; there are now 3,451 recovered cases in Oman
Minister of Health: The increase in cases in the last period due to the examinations carried out by the Ministry and active surveillance due to the fact that the restriction in the last half of the month of Ramadan and the Eid holiday was not as it should, as well as due to the natural development of the disease at the global level.
Minister of Health: We hope to resume aviation services soon. We will be running a testing of aviation services including the airport before we open fully.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: Cases are still high in Hamriya and Muttrah Souq area and that’s why we have closed it. We will review this after two weeks.
Minister of Health: 80 percent of ICU patients are expats and the majority of the cases in hospitals are also expats.
Minister of Health: Most areas of Wilayat Muttrah will be opened from Saturday.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: Muttrah Souq, Hamriyah and Wadi Kabir commercial area to remain closed.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: Permitted commercial activities can be opened from 7am to 9pm in Muttrah. Wadi Kabir commercial area will remain closed.
Minister of Regional Municipalities: The third phase to open more commercial activities and industries will be announced soon.
Minister of Health: 30 percent of patients in the intensive care unit end up with kidney failure.
Minister of Health: A number of death cases among expats reported after they reached hospital late.
Minister of Regional Municipalities: About 9,888 violations were registered in the commercial activities sector till the end of May 2020.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: 5 accredited private health centres will conduct rapid testing for coronavirus for those who wish to travel outside Oman. The results will receive in 45 minutes.
Minister of Health: Some countries changed recovery days from 8-10 days. In the Sultanate, the evaluation is still 14 days, and we will study changing the number of days, and you will probably notice a change in the recovery rate during the coming period.
Dr. Frial Bint Ali Al Lawati: No complications were reported on Covid-19 patients who had hydroxychloroquine.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: As of June 1, most of the death cases were reported in Muscat Governorate; 78% of those who died had a chronic illness.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: Lack of awareness among expats in seeking timely treatments poses a challenge to our health system.
Minister of Health: We are receiving reports of people throwing face masks and gloves which is wrong. No fines have been placed for this but we urge the public not to do this.
Minister of Health: 186 health workers reported having Covid-19.
Minister of Health: 186 health workers tested positive for coronavirus; most of them are through community transfer.
Minister of Health: In Muscat Governorate 70 percent of the cases are among expats; some are beyond our control.
Minister of Regional Municipalities: We have submitted a proposal to open more commercial activities to the Supreme Committee.
Dr. Frial Bint Ali Al Lawati : We used immune plasma for 40 patients and 28 patients benefited from it.
Minister of Health: Tailoring shops maybe opened in the next stage.
Dr. Saif Al Abri: The spread of virus in Muttrah is higher and the souq will remain closed. Some Omanis are still going to Muttrah market and there have been cases reported there. In other wilayats its mainly because of gatherings including family meetings.