COVID-19 recovery rate in Oman up by 75%, deaths drop by 32%

Muscat: Recoveries from COVID have risen 77 per cent in the week from August 22 to 28, with deaths from the disease dropping by 32 per cent during the same period.

According to data published on the OmanVsCOVID19 page, new infections from the virus have also fallen by 25 per cent during this period.

The number of patients in intensive care has decreased 33 per cent, while the total number of people admitted to hospital has fallen 25 per cent. Similarly, during this period, the immunisation rate has increased five per cent.

Oman recorded 6,455 people currently infected with COVID-19 on August 30, down from 6,543 on the 29th, and 7,124 on the 22nd. Recoveries increased during this period from 290,144 on the 22nd, to 291,721.

Hospital admissions dropped from 183 on the 22nd to 122 on the 30th, with ICU numbers also falling from 89 to 57.

More than 2.5 million people have been vaccinated as well, representing 70.5 per cent of the target vaccination population. 1,256,008 have been issued one dose, representing 35.3 per cent of the target population, while another 1,248,206 people have been provided both doses.

They account for 35.2 per cent of the population eligible for vaccination. More than 3.75 million doses have been administered to people.

To further help bring down the coronavirus infection rate in the country, people eligible for the vaccine have been asked to get themselves immunised as soon as possible.

“People who refuse taking the vaccine must know of its value, which preserves their own health, and that of family and society,” said Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saidi, Oman’s Minister of Health, during a press conference of the Supreme Committee held last Thursday. “Vaccination is one of our tools to protect the community.

“There are employees in the public sector who haven’t yet registered for their second dose,” he added.

“Thus, I urge them all to register and get vaccinated. By the end of September, we hope that all citizens have received two doses of the vaccine.”

There are currently eight COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Oman: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Sinovac, Sputnik, Sinopharm, both the Oxford and Covishield versions of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab.

“Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca are the two vaccines most used in the Sultanate, with limited use of others,” added Al Saidi. “Johnson and Johnson is the only vaccine offered in a single dose. Those who have taken it are not required to receive a second dose of the vaccine to enter the country.”