MUSCAT — Oman has decided to impose stringent precautionary measures during the holy month of Ramadan to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the Sultanate, the Omani News Agency (ONA) reported on Monday. Alarmed by the recent surge in new infections, the country's supreme committee to deal with the coronavirus pandemic held on Monday a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Hammoud Bin Faisal Al-Busaidi. The new measures, which were introduced by the committee, are the following: — Partial curfew between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to continue for all commercial activities but the ban on the movement of people and vehicles in all governorates to be lifted on April 8 only to reintroduced on the first day of Ramadan (April 13). — Ban on all commercial activities and the movement of people and vehicles between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. throughout the holy month of Ramadan. — Taraweeh congregational prayers in mosques are not allowed in mosques. — A total ban on all types of gatherings, like Iftar and Suhoor, in mosques, tents, or public places. — A ban on all social, sports, and cultural activities and any other group activities throughout the holy month of Ramadan. — Only Omani citizens and residency holders will be allowed to enter the country, beginning from 12 a.m. on April 2021. The new move comes as the Sultanate recorded as many as 1117 new cases of coronavirus, according to a statement from the country's health ministry. The health ministry announced 10 more virus-related deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of infections in the Sultanate to 164,274 and the death toll to 1722. In another development related to Ramadan, authorities in the Sultanate have decided the official work hours for the public sector as well as the private sector during the holy month of Ramadan, ONA reported. According to the report, the public sector employees will work from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. while working hours for the private sector's companies and establishments for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan will be reduced to six hours per day, equivalent to (30) hours per week.
