Author: News Desk

The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and Engineering Services at the Ministry of Defense today provided and transported various sets of support equipment and necessary requirements.    The move comes to equip the sheltering centers for the Relief and Shelter sector in the Governorate of Muscat and to reinforce efforts of the medical system in the Sultanate.  Such measures aim to control the spread of the (COVID-19) that would support health measures taken by the medical sector and other relevant units. This comes within the framework of the continued activation of the plans of…

Oman will ban movement into and out of the governorate of Muscat from April 10 until April 22, the high committee for combating the coronavirus outbreak said in a tweet on Wednesday. Oman has registered 419 cases of the novel coronavirus, including 48 in the last 24 hours. The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, pardoned 599 prisoners jailed for various offenses on Wednesday, including 336 foreigners, the state-run Oman News Agency said on Twitter. The tweet did not say if the release was related to the coronavirus outbreak or the holy month of Ramadan, which starts later this month.

Coronavirus lockdowns may make or break relationships, but in Dubai marriages and divorces have been suspended “until further notice” to avoid gatherings that could spread the disease. Dubai’s justice department said Wednesday that the decision was among the “measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic” rolled out in the emirate which is under strict lockdown. Justice Khaled al-Hawsni of the family court also said on the department’s website that couples who have already completed marriage formalities must not organize wedding parties “even among their immediate circles.” The United Arab Emirates confirmed on Wednesday 300 new coronavirus cases over the past 24…

Bahrain’s government will spend $570 million in salaries for 100,000 private-sector workers from April to June to help with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the labor ministry said on Wednesday. The government will also pay electricity and water bills for all Bahraini citizens and businesses and will extend some tax breaks on properties and tourism, it said in a statement. The initiative is part of a $11 billion stimulus package announced by the government for the private sector to mitigate the impact on the economy from the outbreak.

The United Arab Emirates confirmed 300 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 2,659, the health ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, 12 died and 239 recovered so far. Dr. Farida al-Hosani continued to urge everyone to follow the precautionary measures implemented to help slow the spread of the deadly virus. The UAE has completed 539,195 screenings over the past several weeks, according to Health Minister Abdul Rahman al-Owais. He added test numbers will double over the coming period. The number reflects the strength of the healthcare system and shows the country’s dedication to fighting…

The medical personnel that will be recruited to support the medical staff working top level will be from India and Bangladesh, reported the Arab Times Kuwait English Daily. The sources stated that the Ministry of Health requested teams from more than one country through official channels, but it did not receive approval except India and Bangladesh. The medical teams working at the top level are in good condition and that the recruitment of new teams aims to provide support for them. The sources stated that there are several solutions and work mechanisms that the ministry takes into consideration, in a…

Kuwaiti social media users and politicians have called on the government to crack down on illegal visa merchants amid a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus across the country. Visa merchants can make thousands of dollars by providing a visa to just one immigrant, but the trade is illegal because only people with jobs are meant to receive visas and the influx of job seekers creates an underclass of unemployed immigrants who live in the shadows of the formal economy. Upon arrival, immigrants who buy visas illegally are obliged to pay their sponsor a monthly or yearly fee…

Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf instructed those who concerned in the municipalities to take the necessary measures to stop collecting rents and allowance from all tenants of municipal properties for three months, starting in April. This initiative came under the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, to support investors and traders under the current circumstances. The minister pointed out that this action will include all users of municipal property in supermarkets, stand owners, and tenants of small shops in the malls and municipal shops. He stressed…

Kuwaiti Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel AI-Sabah, on Wednesday, announced 112 new cases of the novel coronavirus and the recovery of six cases, raising the country’s total recoveries to 111. Currently, there are 743 active cases with 1 death in Kuwait. 21 of the coronavirus cases are in ICU. Speaking to KUNA, the minister said lab tests and analyses had shown the recovery of the patients. The already treated case will be admitted to a rehabilitation ward before being discharged from the hospital, the minister added.

A United Arab Emirates aid plane carrying approximately 13 tonnes of medical supplies was dispatched to Kazakhstan to assist the country in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, benefitting over 10,000 healthcare professionals reported Gulf News. This initiative is part of the UAE’s commitment to cooperating with countries working to combat the COVID-19 outbreak to bolster global efforts to curb the virus’ spread. “The UAE is committed to extending support to countries affected by the COVID-19 crisis in recognition that multilateral cooperation is essential to the international community overcoming this humanitarian crisis,” said Dr. Mohammed Ahmed bin Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Ambassador…