MUSCAT: Majority of the new coronavirus cases in the country are from the fast spreading mutated Delta variant, Oman’s Minister of Health said on Tuesday.

“Most of the cases in the Sultanate are of the fast-spreading Delta strain and it affect all ages, and unfortunately it is also more severe than the previous ones,” His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi said in an interview with Oman TV.

Oman is recording a drop in daily COVID-19 cases due to the full lockdown and the night movement ban. However, Al Saidi said the results of the complete closure will only appear in 10 to 14 days. “The results of the closure appear after 10 to 14 days, and the current results are promising and reassuring regarding the partial closure,” the Minister said.

“Approximately from the second half of October 2020 to the second half of January 2021, the numbers were very comfortable, but with the emergence of the new strain (Delta), unfortunately, the cases increased in a very worrying way,” he said.

According to Al Saidi, lifting the ban after Eid Al Fitr led to a rise in cases. “So the committee decided to implement the partial closure and then implement full closure during Eid Al Adha,” he added.