DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Persian Gulf state of Oman says it’s temporarily suspending all entry to the country by foreigners and halting international passenger flights over worries about a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus.

Oman said the one-week closure of all official ports of entry would begin on Tuesday “to protect community members from the severity of infection and the speed of spread.”

The sultanate’s decision to impose an international travel ban followed an announcement by its neighbor Saudi Arabia late Sunday that it would shut its borders for a week or until clearer details emerged about the more contagious variant of the virus that has prompted countries to bar travelers from the United Kingdom.

Oman’s trade routes will remain open, with cargo flights exempted from the restrictions.

The sultanate has struggled to contain a major outbreak that has infected over 127,900 people, although cases have declined in recent months.