The Minister of Health Dr Ahmad AlAwadhi issued a decree making stricter condition for the medical test for newly arrived expatriates. According to the new decision, those with “indeterminate” hepatitis C test results will be deemed “medically unfit”, barring the use of PCR tests for them.

Residents testing positive for hepatitis C antibodies after two indeterminate tests within four weeks will undergo a PCR test. Positive results render them medically unfit, while negative results grant a one-year residency.

After a year, another PCR test determines fitness for renewal.