Manama: Two expat residents, including 66-year-old Keralite doctor, died in Oman on Friday after contracting coronavirus, while the UAE and Kuwait announced two deaths each.
The other covid-19 victim was a 76-year-old business man from Gujarat, India. With this, the death toll in the country rose to 6.
Also, Oman on Friday confirmed 50 new coronavirus cases, taking the total tally to 1,069.
The Keralite doctor identified as Rajendran Nair, a veteran general surgeon in the sultanate. Dr. Nair, who dedicated nearly 40 years to saving others, died on Friday afternoon at the Royal Hospital in Muscat.
Hailing from Chenganassery, Kottayam in the south Indian state of Kerala, Dr Nair ran his own clinic, Hani in Ruwi. He was hospitalized for few weeks, and later succumbed to coronavirus infection.
He has been in Muscat for the last 40 years and was popular among all the communities in the country. He was popularly known as ‘common man’s doctor’ for his ‘tireless service to the citizen’s and residents.
His death shocked the expat community and tributes have been paid to him from all walks of life.
This is the first time a doctor has been died in the gulf due to covid-19. The Indian Embassy in Muscat indicated that the body will be cremated in Oman.
Meanwhile, two more people died of coronavirus in Kuwait on Friday, bringing the death toll to five.
The country also reported on Friday 134 new cases of infections including 64 Indians. The latest cases bring to 1,685 the country’s infection tally. The number of infected Indians now stands at 924.
33 more patients recovered from COVID-19 on Friday, raising to 258 the overall recoveries in the country.
The recovered patients will be transferred to the designated rehabilitation ward and will be discharged from the facility with in two days, Kuwaiti Health Minister Sheikh Basil Al Sabah said.
