Muscat: The Sultanate has suspended entry into the country from 10 nations, as per an announcement by the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The temporary ban comes into effect from Thursday, February 25, and will last for 15 days. Transit passengers will be included in the ban too.

The current list of banned countries include:

1. Tanzania
2. Sierra Leone
3. Lebanon
4. Ethiopia
5. Ghana
6. Nigeria
7. South Africa
8. Brazil
9. Sudan
10. Guinea

Diplomats, Omani citizens, and medical professionals and their families have been exempted from the ban.

The decision comes after a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases arising from mutated strains of the virus that has been prevalent in these regions.