Oman’s COVID-19 recovery rate reaches 96%

Muscat: Oman’s COVID-19 recovery rate has reached 96 per cent, the highest it has been since the start of the pandemic.

“96 per cent of patients have recovered from COVID-19,” said a Ministry of Health official, speaking exclusively to the Times of Oman.

“This is the highest recovery percentage we have registered, since the pandemic began in February 2020.”

More than two million people in the country have also been vaccinated against the coronavirus, show ministry figures. As many as 2,008,140 people have been administered vaccines since the start of the National Immunisation Campaign, a figure that represents 57 per cent of the targeted population.

1,359,622 people (68 percent) have been given one dose of the vaccine; an additional 648,518 (32 percent) are fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health continues to vaccinate target segments against COVID-19 across all the governorates of the Sultanate. Vaccination centres continue to witness a good turnout from the targeted population segments.

So far, 298,942 people have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 236 new infections recorded in the 24 hours leading up to Monday, August 9, 2021. 12 more people have also passed away from the disease, taking the total number of COVID casualties to 3,948.

However, recoveries continue to outpace new infections, with 607 more people having recovered in the last 24 hours, which means a total of 285,664 people have recovered.

Some 344 people are currently in hospital for coronavirus-related ailments, with 28 more having been admitted over the past day. 158 of these hospitalised patients are in intensive care.

The vaccination of school going students aged 12 and above is also underway, as part of Oman’s efforts to vaccinate them before the start of the new school year.

The campaign, which is expected to run for three weeks, targets 320,000 students from private and public schools across the country’s 11 governorates, with 90,000 students shortlisted for vaccinations in Muscat alone.

“It is important that students who come to us are above the age of 12,” Dr Lamia Al Balushi, the head of the epidemiological investigation team at the Directorate General of Health Services in Muscat Governorate, had said.

“Those who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients, or have respiratory diseases, are requested to reschedule their vaccine appointments until their symptoms have subsided.”

The campaign to immunise students is being jointly run by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.