Spike in COVID-19 cases sees increased hospitalisation rates in Oman

Muscat: A number of hospitals in Oman are reporting beyond hundred per cent capacity in COVID wards, with both Sohar and Nizwa operating at 157 per cent occupancy. Furthermore, the number of inpatients until June 11, 2021 stood at 338, or 99 per cent occupancy, according to Ministry of Health data.

Royal Hospital, which has 66 ICU beds, has reached 95 per cent capacity, Khoula, with 36 beds, is at 92 per cent capacity, and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital has all of its 11 beds occupied.

Furthermore, Rustaq Hospital, at 110 per cent, and Nizwa Hospital, at 157 per cent, which has 21 beds for COVID-19 patients, and has allocated them a further 12 beds, are both operating beyond capacity. The Armed Forces Hospital in Al Khoudh is running at 79 per cent occupancy, and Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah is at 54 per cent capacity.

Both Khasab Hopsital in Musandam, and the Armed Forces Hospital in Salalah have reported no coronavirus cases in their ICUs. Dr Ridha Al Lawati, an internist at the COVID-19 field hospital, asked people to take the vaccine as soon as they are eligible, to help bring down the numbers of cases, and relieve pressure on hospitals and healthcare workers.

“The numbers of hospitalised patients have crossed 1,000, and the number of people in ICUs is beyond 300 now,” she explained. “On Thursday alone, more than 160 people were admitted to hospital…these are the highest numbers we’ve seen so far.”

Dr Zakaria Al Balushi, an inflammatory and infectious diseases consultant at the Royal Hospital, added, “When people see the numbers of COVID cases, this might affect them physically and psychologically. There are those who do take the right precautions against the disease, who might wonder why they are doing so when the case numbers are so high anyway…this might deter them from taking the vaccine.”

Another medical professional, Shatha Al Siyabi, a lab specialist at the Ministry of Health, said people who did come to get vaccinated had many questions about whether there were chances of getting infected even after being given their doses.

“This indicates that people know of the chances of being infected even after vaccination, but I must remind them that being vaccinated does not replace precautionary measures,” added Al Siyabi, who is part of the COVID-19 vaccination team deployed at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Boushar, where a mass immunisation drive is currently underway.