MUSCAT: Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority has issued a statement after a report on social media went viral that stated some passengers carrying a negative PCR test result were reportedly infected with Covid-19 when they arrived at Cairo International Airport in Egypt.

However, in a statement issued on Saturday, CAA said the Sultanate “applies health and safety protocols to limit the spread of Covid-19 virus in all airlines operating their flights to and from Oman, and that Omani carriers are obligated to ensure that passengers transported on their flights meet the requirements of entering the country heading to it.”

The Cairo International Airport authorities have tightened their preventive measures for passengers using the rapid test that shows results in 13 minutes.

CAA said it has coordinated with the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority regarding the new measures taken by the authorities in Cairo. “In this aspect, all passengers carried pre-examination certificates with a negative result before accepting their travel on the flight bound for Cairo Airport. Requirements for entering some countries including the Sultanate have certain protocols in place such as re-examination of all passengers as soon as they arrive, as the appearance of tests with a positive result,” CAA said.

CAA said a traveller can possibly get infected soon after he did a PCR test “or before travel to the day of arrival.”

CAA also revealed that “previously a number of COVID-19 positive cases were discovered among those passengers coming from Cairo on board Egyptian airlines flights. The competent authorities in the Sultanate took measures to isolate the infected patients according to the health protocols that is in force in the Sultanate and internationally recognized. Authorities in both the countries continue to apply the necessary health protocols while transporting passengers between the two brotherly countries,” CAA added.