MUSCAT, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Oman decided on Tuesday to ban movement of people between the governorates for 15 days to prevent social and family gatherings during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The supreme committee tasked with tackling the COVID-19 pandemic said in a statement that it made the decision at its meeting hosted by Minister of Interior Hamoud Al Busaidi. The committee decided that the lockdown period would last from July 25 to Aug. 8.
The statement said that gatherings of all kinds would be prohibited, especially group prayers and celebrations, during the upcoming holiday starting at the end of the month.
The committee also decided to prevent the people's movement and close all public places and shops during that period from 7 p.m. (1500 GMT) until 6 a.m. (0200 GMT) the next morning.
On April 8, the supreme committee decided to impose a lockdown in Muscat governorate and ban people's movement between the governorates from April 10-22. The lockdown was extended on April 20 until May 8.
The Omani Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday 1,487 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,159 Omanis, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 69,887.
The ministry said in a statement that 1,458 more patients recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 46,608, while 11 more patients died, raising the death toll to 337. Enditem
