MUSCAT — Oman on Friday recorded 1,374 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the Sultanate to 43,929, according to a statement from the country's Ministry of Health, carried by Oman News Agency. Of the newly detected cases, there were 829 Omani citizens and 535 expatriates from different countries, the Health Ministry said. The ministry also reported five new virus-related deaths, raising the total number of fatalities in the Sultanate so far to 193. Meanwhile, a total of 851 more patients recovered over the past 24 hours from the deadly disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 26,169. The Sultanate has recently seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, prompting the authorities to increase the capacity in hospitals, especially for intensive care units. Expressing concern over the "scary" surge, the country's Minister of Health on Thursday said the ministry was working to increase capacity at intensive care units and planned to set up a field hospital with 250 to 300 beds in the Muscat region for non-urgent cases. "Hospitals were coping for now but were under pressure, particularly intensive care units," he said.
