MUSCAT (Reuters) – Oman will reimpose a curfew and suspend all commercial activities from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. following a spike in COVID-19 cases, the country’s Supreme Committee for Combating Coronavirus said on Saturday.
The curfew, which will start on Sunday, will restrict the movement of people and vehicles, with an exception for home delivery services, the committee statement said.
Cases in Oman have trended upwards since January, with a pronounced surge since a dip in early May.
Oman has recorded 242,723 coronavirus cases and 2,626 deaths, according to the latest health ministry figures, issued on Thursday, when it had 2,015 new cases.
Meanwhile, Turkey sharply accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations this week, delivering more than 1 million a day since Monday, raising hopes of a strong economic performance in the second half of the year.
The vaccination program has been constrained since its launch in January by sporadic vaccine procurement, but fresh supplies arrived this month. On Friday inoculations passed the 40 million mark and 40% of adults had had at least one dose, according to a Reuters tally.
Since Monday more than 6 million had been vaccinated, Health Ministry data showed, 5 million of them receiving a first dose.
The stepped-up pace has helped raise forecasts for Turkey’s economic recovery following a full lockdown in May.