Coronavirus: UAE records 1,846 new cases

Abu Dhabi updates border entry rules as authorities conduct record number of tests

Billboards along Sheikh Zayed Road thanking the Covid vaccine volunteers for the Phase 3 trials conducted in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man receives a dose of a vaccine against the coronavirus disease in Dubai. Reuters

People queue for the vaccine near DIFC in Dubai. AFP

The DPI screening centre on the border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi is quick and results are out in a matter of minutes. Antonie Robertson / The National

A woman receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Zabeel Health Centre in Dubai. EPA

Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara partnered with Tamouh Health Care to provide on-site Sinopharm Vaccination for all residents of the UAE free of charge in February. Pawan Singh / The National

UAE residents receive their vaccine free of charge in February. Pawan Singh / The National

Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron

The UAE recorded 1,846 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday.

This brings the total number of infections recorded since the pandemic began to 754,911.

One person died, taking the death toll to 2,160.

Another 632 people beat the virus, raising the number of recoveries to 742,565.

The latest cases were identified as a result of an additional 431,482 PCR tests, which represents the highest conducted in a 24-hour reporting period.

Daily case numbers have risen sharply this month, from less than 50 in early December.

But authorities have ramped up testing and introduced new rules to protect public health.

Abu Dhabi has updated its border rules to enter the emirate with a green pass on the Al Hosn app or a negative PCR test needed.

The emirate also announced that venues hosting social events such as weddings, funerals and family gatherings would have occupancy capped at 60 per cent of capacity.

Mass testing and one of the world’s fastest vaccination drives, including the booster shot campaign, have helped the UAE curb the pandemic as the Omicron variant spreads.

Authorities have urged people to act responsibly over the holiday and new year period.