Coronavirus: UAE reports lowest number of cases this year

It is the first time in 2021 that the daily toll has dropped below 1,200

Dubai Municipality has updated Covid-19 regulations for the emirate. Children's birthday parties are now allowed in playgrounds and recreational areas.

Restaurants and cafes can return to normal, pre-pandemic opening hours.

Restaurant tables can now be set at 1.5 metres apart, instead of 2m, and the capacity has been increased to 80 per cent.

Events in restaurants and cafes can continue until 3am.

Shisha cafes in Dubai can also return to 80 per cent capacity and place their tables 1.5 metres apart, rather than two metres.

Shopping malls and cinemas can increase their capacity to 80 per cent as long as visitors observe social distancing and remain 2m apart.

The UAE reported 1,189 new coronavirus cases on Sunday.

It is the lowest daily figure reported this year and the first below 1,200 since last year.

Daily infection numbers recorded in the past three days were the lowest of 2021.

The latest cases were detected from 218,163 tests.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention said four deaths were reported overnight.

The country’s caseload since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 701,776, including 2,001 deaths.

Another 1,419 people beat the virus, pushing the total tally of recoveries to 679,760.

Health officials have carried out 69,844,594 PCR tests across the country since the first case was reported on January 29, 2020.

There are 20,015 active cases in the UAE.

The country embarked on a nationwide vaccination campaign in December last year and has administered 17,363,341 Covid-19 vaccine doses.

On Saturday, Abu Dhabi reduced the home quarantine period for unvaccinated people who come into close contact with a positive Covid-19 case from 12 days to 10.

The revised measures came into effect from Sunday.

Under the ruling, those not inoculated must quarantine for 10 days and take a PCR test on day nine while wearing a tracking wristband.

If the PCR test result is negative, they can remove the wristband and end quarantine on day 10.

And anyone vaccinated must quarantine for seven days and take a PCR test on day six. If the PCR test result is negative, they can remove the tracker device on day seven.